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February 15, 2002

Veneman announces funds
for Homeland Security

Ag Secretary visits San Angelo area as part of three-state swing...

By Mike Barnett
Editor

In an effort to make U.S. agriculture as "secure as possible," USDA Secretary Ann Veneman announced $131 million in new spending that relates to homeland security and the protection of America's food and fiber production.

The ag secretary, along with Texas Agriculture Commissioner Susan Combs, took advantage of stops at Producers Livestock Auction and Rancher's Lamb of Texas in San Angelo, and later at Wall Gin in Wall, to announce the new funding and to visit with local farmers and ranchers.

Gene Gully, a cotton farmer from Wall, was appreciative.

"I think this is the first time we ever had a secretary of agriculture come to Wall or the San Angelo area," Gully said. "It was really quite an honor to get to visit with her and hear her comments. She really has her heart in agriculture and wants to help us."

But the announcement took back stage to what West Texas farmers really had on their minds: a new farm bill, or lack thereof, for 2002.

"I think there's general consensus, let's get something through the Senate so we can get it to conference between the Senate and the House," Veneman said, noting that farmers are understandably nervous about the lack of progress.

However, she noted the administration has agreed to a supplemental $73.5 billion for agriculture over the next 10 years.

"She (Veneman) is still hopeful the farm bill can be passed in conference and signed by the president so it will be for the 2002 crop," commented Lloyd Arthur, a cotton farmer from Ralls and a Texas Farm Bureau state board member. "The unknown is what's killing us now. She assured us that if we did not have a farm bill, that Congress would pass a stimulus package that's very needed, such as a second AMTA."

Arthur noted that the Secretary told him that FSA offices are already beginning the transition to a new farm bill based on what is common to both House and Senate farm legislation.

"They do know that the yields and the farmer updates are going to be in both versions, whether it be the Senate or House version. She's already starting the process and getting things in line for when we get a bill, some of this will be in place."

As far as homeland security, the Secretary specifically outlined the following areas of the FY2003 agriculture budget that relates to the security of agriculture:

•$149 million increase for animal health monitoring to enhance the ability to quickly identify potential threats.

•$19 million increase in the Agricultural Quarantine Inspection (AQI) program for improved point-of-entry inspection programs.

•$11 million increase for programs to expand diagnostic, response, management and other technical services with the Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).

•$28 million increase to provide record funding for Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) food safety activities.

•$24 million increase to support research aimed at protecting the nation's food system from attack by animal and plant diseases, insects and other pests.

"Homeland security is one of those areas where USDA and agriculture has a key role to play," Veneman said. "We want to make sure we have an agriculture that is as secure as possible...that our agriculture does not have any kinds of threats against it, and that we continue to maintain the safest and most productive food supply in the world."

Veneman also addressed trade, noting U.S. farmers export about 25 percent of what they produce.

"Export markets are critical," she said. "We want to maintain those markets and continue to expand them for farmers and ranchers."

Texas Farm Bureau Treasurer Dale Jeske, a citrus producer from the Rio Grande Valley, agreed with that assessment: "We need more trade. We need export markets opened up."

Jeske also noted a number of other areas the Secretary privately discussed with farmers and ranchers, including the non-delivery of treaty-based water from Mexico to the Rio Grande Valley, the H2A program, and more funding for APHIS to prevent Medfly infestations.