[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 12 (Wednesday, February 9, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: February 9, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
  INTRODUCTION OF LEGISLATION TO PROVIDE DISASTER ASSISTANCE FOR TREE 
                                 LOSSES

                                 ______


                           HON. PATSY T. MINK

                               of hawaii

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 9, 1994

  Mrs. MINK. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing a bill to correct a 
Department of Agriculture policy which has prevented certain farmers 
from receiving disaster assistance provided by the Congress for the 
victims of Hurricane Iniki.
  Last year the Congress enacted P.L. 103-50 which sought to compensate 
farmers affected by Hurricane Iniki for crop losses in FY 1993, 1994 
and 1995. However, contrary to the intent of the law, the Department of 
Agriculture initiated its own policy that payments would not be made 
for losses of crops grown on trees.
  In other words, a farmer would be compensated for the loss of taro, 
potatoes, and other vegetables, but not for papayas or bananas, which 
are grown on trees.
  It was not the intention of Congress to apply such an unfair policy 
which denies a certain type of farmer the much needed disaster 
assistance.
  The result of this policy is that the papaya farmers on Kauai were 
denied crop assistance. Many of these farmers were not compensated for 
the original loss, because there were no fruit on the trees. However, 
papaya trees bear fruit more than once. These trees can produce for 
several years. When Hurricane Iniki destroyed the papaya trees they 
destroyed several years worth of crops.
  It is difficult to understand how the Department of Agriculture can 
justify providing payments for losses of certain crops, but deny 
payments for papayas simply because they grow on trees.
  My bill will seek to provide equity for the papaya farmers and those 
who grow other types of crops on trees. It will allow farmers affected 
by Hurricane Iniki, Andrew and Typhoon Omar to receive disaster 
assistance for crop losses from trees. This is what the Congress 
originally intended in enacting P.L. 103-50. I urge my colleagues to 
support my efforts to correct this unfair policy initiated by the 
Department of Agriculture.

                          ____________________