Kansas, Nebraska Senators urge USDA to make relief program rules less stringent

(The Center Square) – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, and his Republican colleagues from Nebraska, Pete Ricketts and Deb Fischer, were among the more than 60 members of Congress who penned a letter to the United States Department of Agriculture expressing concerns about the USDA’s requirements for the Emergency Relief Program.

The lawmakers feel the USDA’s 2022 ERP requirements are “misguided and losing sight of the relief program’s intent outlined by Congress when it was created,” according to Marshall’s office.

The requirements from the Biden administration, the lawmakers contend, have nothing to do with helping farmers deal with natural disasters.

Rather, they feel the USDA is making it tougher for farmers to receive aid, which will hurt their ability to access the program.

“American producers have experienced significant losses, and the Administration has taken an approach that does not reflect Congressional intent,” the lawmakers wrote in their letter. “The current program does not provide needed assistance to full-time farm families that suffered the deepest losses, and in short, it misallocates limited but badly needed assistance.”

- Advertisement -

Therefore, the lawmakers want to see the USDA scrap its new plans and stick with the framework developed in 2021.

“While this program is already unnecessarily delayed, it is still imperative that USDA depart from its current path because of the major problems raised by producers and Congress,” the lawmakers wrote. “USDA needs to follow the law and Congressional intent to address the crop losses of our farm families without the pay limits and without preferences that are not authorized by the statute.

“We strongly request the USDA abandon this current program and implement the framework of 2021 ERP Phase 1 as quickly as possible,” the lawmakers added.

One can read the full letter here.

Hot this week

African and Caribbean Nations Call for Reparations for Slave Trade, Propose Global Fund

Nations across Africa and the Caribbean, deeply impacted by...

Sports betting expert offers advice on paying taxes for gambling winnings

(The Center Square) – Tax season is underway, and...

Health care company agrees to pay $22.5 million to settle claims of over billing

A health care company agreed to pay nearly $22.5...

Entertainment district benefits don’t outweigh the cost, economists say

(The Center Square) — Weeks later, after more details...

Business association ‘disappointed’ by WA L&I’s proposed workers comp rate hike

(The Center Square) – The Association of Washington Business...

Washington RUC bill receives deluge of opposition

(The Center Square) – A Washington state bill that...

Illinois county employees urged to speak out ahead of ethics hearing

(The Center Square) – A former McLean County Board...

More Democrats want a more moderate party, poll says

Data from a new Gallup survey suggests that close...

NYSE Plants Flag in Texas With Dallas Trading Hub

DALLAS (AURN News) — The New York Stock Exchange...

Think tank survey: Majority of Seattle’s chronically homeless originate elsewhere

(The Center Square) – According to data, an overwhelming...

Las Vegas sees first rain after 214-day dry spell

By Liam Hibbert | The Center Square Contributor ...

Louisiana firefighter pensions fund saw a 10.4% increase from 2023

(The Center Square) — A recent audit of the...

More like this
Related

Washington RUC bill receives deluge of opposition

(The Center Square) – A Washington state bill that...

Illinois county employees urged to speak out ahead of ethics hearing

(The Center Square) – A former McLean County Board...

More Democrats want a more moderate party, poll says

Data from a new Gallup survey suggests that close...

NYSE Plants Flag in Texas With Dallas Trading Hub

DALLAS (AURN News) — The New York Stock Exchange...