Denver’s KUNC: Can Washington, DC politicians help local Colorado farmers survive 2006 drought?

Suggested host intro: The 2006 growing season has been difficult for Colorado farmers. A pervasive drought has left fields barren and farms and ranches bracing for a financial shock. Over 45 counties throughout Colorado recently were named federal disaster relief areas. (name here) on Capitol Hill with a report on how Congress is responding. 

NARR: Adrian Weaver has been a Colorado rancher  FOR ALMOST 50 years. He owns 24-thousand acres just north of Ft. Collins, where he mostly grows grass for his cattle.  WEAVER CAN'T REMEMBER a drier year. 

weaver2-WORST-YEAR “I think this is the worst year we’ve had, right here in our area anyhow.”

The lack of rain in the spring left Weaver’s grass with far less nutrients than usual  - WHICH took a toll on his herd.

weaver3-100-POUNDS-LIGHTER “We shipped some steers a couple of days ago and they were a hundred pounds lighter than usual – get paid by the pound (cut from sound byte)”

In the Spring, the Senate passed an emergency supplemental bill that would have provided funding for last year’s drought. But with threat of a presidential veto, the bill never made it out of conference.

CONGRESSWOMAN MARILYN MUSGRAVE'S FOURTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT COVERS MUCH OF COLORADO'S AGRICULUTURE PRODUCING COUNTIES IN THE NORTH AND EASTERN PARTS OF THE STATE. SHE'S WRITTEN LETTERS TO THE AGRICUTLURAL CONFERENCE IN HOPES OF GETTING THE BILL PASSED SOON...

MUSGRAVE1-ALL-HURTING “Much of our economy out here is dependant on agriculture, so when the farm is hurting, we’re all hurting.”

Colorado Democratic Senator Ken Salazar  IS A  co-sponsor  OF the legislation that would bring emergency funding to those affected. BUT He says there JUST isn’t enough money available  RIGHT NOW to help Colorado farmers  deal with the EFFECTS OF THE drought.  

SEN-SALAZAR1-GET-IT-DONE “I think we need to get it done because we’re going to see many family farms and ranches go out of business unless we can help them.”

Republican Colorado Senator Wayne Allard supported the drought assistance bill in the spring. But he says he’s concerned about the farm program getting too big.

ALLARD1-NO-BIGGER “Right now I think the current farm program can’t get any larger than what it is. It’s already creating trade problems for the United States.”

In the past drought disaster relief has come from the farm bill, rather than from emergency funding. Musgrave wants to see that change.

MUSGRAVE5-FEMA “I think if FEMA can do what it did with millions of dollars for Katrina we ought to be able to help out farmers in Colorado, Kansas and Nebraska that are suffering from this drought.”

ADRIAN WEAVER SAYS HE DOESN’T LIKE ACCEPTING GOVERNMENT AID, THOUGH HE’LL ACCEPT IT THIS YEAR. HE SAYS THERE IS NO REAL HOPE FOR THIS YEAR’S CROP. 

Weaver “Well it’s not going to be good even if it does rain now, because half the growing season is already gone. So even if we get moisture we’ve only got a month or 6 weeks of growth before frost. “

MEMBERS OF THE SENATE WON'T EVEN (not necessary – the farmers say they don’t know how much devestation to declare until after the growing season, which is past September) TAKE UP THE DROUGHT RELIEF BILL UNTIL THEY RETURN FROM THE SUMMER RECESS IN SEPTEMBER.

For K-U-N-C, I'm (name here) on Capitol Hill.

This originially aired as a feature on KUNC.