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Bishop Pushes Senate for Agriculture Relief Assistance

June 21, 2010

Washington, DC – Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-2) today called for the Senate to move forward to pass the American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act of 2010, commonly known as the Tax Extenders bill. In addition to closing tax loopholes, the measure provides assistance for 2009 agricultural losses, including specialty crops, livestock, sugar, aquaculture, cottonseed, and poultry.

The House of Representatives passed the bill in May prior to the Memorial Day District Work Period, and since then, the bill has been facing opposition in the Senate.

“Back in May, I voted along with the majority of my colleagues to pass the Tax Extenders bill. I am very proud to support this legislation which strengthens America’s workforce and provides much-needed agriculture disaster assistance,” said Congressman Bishop. “I am very pleased to have worked with my colleagues in the Blue Dog Coalition to ensure that the funding provided in this bill is narrowly focused to where it is needed most – providing assistance to our agricultural community, putting Americans to work, and stimulating the economy.”

The Tax Extenders bill also supplies supplemental direct payments, emergency loans, and grants to states for crop or livestock producers including: a $42 million supplement for cottonseed assistance; $25 million in grants for aquaculture assistance; a $21 million payment to an agricultural transportation cooperative; $75 million in emergency loans for poultry producers; a $50 million payment for livestock producers who had grazing losses; $150 million in grants to states for specialty crop producers affected by drought; and $150 million in grants to states for specialty crop producers affected by excessive rainfall.

No later than 90 days after the measure's enactment, the Department of Agriculture would be required to make grants to states to provide such assistance. The maximum grant made to a state could not exceed $40 million. In addition, the measure provides $10 million for administrative cost.

“This important legislation provides much-needed agriculture disaster assistance to our farmers,” said Congressman Bishop. The Senate may feel that they can take their time with this, but our farmers are hurting and cannot continue to wait for financial relief.”

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