Delegation Commends USDA Sugar Beet Program

Washington, DC â?? Idaho Senators Mike Crapo and Larry Craig and Idaho Representatives Mike Simpson and C.L. â??Butchâ?? Otter issued the following statement regarding the announcement of a sugar beet disaster program by the U.S. Department of Agriculture:â??The program announced today by the USDA is much-needed by Idaho growers. It will help meet outstanding financial obligations while our sugar beet producers work to recover from the losses they have experienced through adverse weather conditions. The USDA has acted in the best interests of our agriculture producers, and todayâ??s announcement will go a long way in assisting the Idaho sugar beet industry. We would have preferred eligibility requirements that would have allowed more Idaho growers to have access to the assistance, but it is good that the program will soon be up and running.â??Sign-up for the Sugar Beet Disaster Program begins on September 15, 2003. It will provide up to $60 million to producers who suffered sugar beet losses in either 2001 or 2002 due to a natural disaster. Regulations and more information on the program will be published early next week and posted on-line at http://www.fsa.usda.gov/pas/fed_regs/fedreg.htm.# # #