[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 67 (Tuesday, May 14, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S5005]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. DOMENICI (for himself and Mr. Bingaman):
  S. 1755. A bill to amend the Federal Agriculture Improvement and 
Reform Act providing that insurance shall be available under the 
Noninsured Crop Assistance Program for native pasture for livestock, 
and for other purposes; to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and 
Forestry.


 the federal agriculture improvement and reform act of 1996 amendment 
                              act of 1996

  Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, fellow Senators, we are having a drought 
in the State of New Mexico that is about as serious a situation as we 
have had. We have read about the forest fires. Obviously, the forest is 
dry, but, also, the grazing land is dry. The ranchers are unable to 
graze cattle. That is a very important part of our life in New Mexico.
  Today, I am introducing a bill. Yesterday, I introduced one with 
Senator Bingaman. He was the prime sponsor. Today he joins me in this 
one, which would take some of the assistance that is given for other 
crops in the event of a disaster and make that apply to the forage that 
goes for cattle. We think maybe it was intended, but it is not clear.
  So this would provide emergency relief to some of the cattle people 
in our State and in the arid parts of America where we are having a 
disaster with drought. It makes some of this available to them. Because 
of the forage they use for the cattle, it would make that subject to 
the same kind of emergency assistance as other crops when those crops 
are in a drought situation.
  Mr. President, yesterday, Senator Bingaman and I introduced a bill 
that would provide short-term assistance for our cattle producers in 
New Mexico and across the United States.
  Cattle producers are suffering economically due to historically low 
cattle prices, and high feed costs.
  In New Mexico, these conditions are made even worse by extensive 
drought conditions, which have had an impact on some areas of the State 
for 3 years.
  The Bingaman-Domenici bill would provide $18 million in feed 
assistance, by extending the authority of the for the Emergency 
Livestock Feed Program through the end of this calendar year.
  This assistance is extremely urgent for livestock producers in 
drought-affected areas.
  In some parts of States like New Mexico, producers typically harvest 
and store feed reserves for the coming winter during the summer months, 
while their livestock graze on high country summer pastures.
  Many of these summer ranges are located on Federal land, and in order 
to prevent overuse during the drought, many of these areas will not be 
available for grazing this year.
  In order to maintain enough livestock to remain in business, many 
producers will be forced to graze areas that would normally be set 
aside for hay and winter feed production, leaving them little or no 
forage to get them through the coming winter.
  The temporary extension of this program through December will allow 
the Secretary to provide these individuals with assistance in obtaining 
these needed feed resources.
  Mr. President, today, I am introducing a bill that will provide a 
more permanent solution.
  This bill would clarify in law, as is currently the case in USDA 
regulations, that native pasture for grazing livestock would qualify 
under the Noninsured Crop Assistance Program [NAP].
  Specifically, the bill would amend the law to read:

       The term ``eligible crop'' shall include floricultural, 
     ornamental nursery and Christmas tree crops, turfgrass sod, 
     seed crops, aquaculture (including ornamental fish), native 
     pasture for livestock, and industrial crops.

  NAP was created under the Federal Crop Insurance Act of 1994 and 
amended in the Federal Agricultural Improvement and Reform Act of 1966 
[FAIR].
  The NAP is a disaster program for noninsured crops. Following a major 
crop loss, it provides benefits similar to those for insurable crops, 
but only at the catastrophic level.
  This is by no means a windfall for livestock producers; on the 
contrary, catastrophic coverage provides a minimal benefit in a 
disaster, or emergency cases of the most dire need.
  This bill has not been scored by the Congressional Budget Office 
[CBO], however, if CBO scores a cost with the bill I will provide an 
offset to ensure that it remains budget neutral.
  I understand that the current regulations provide NAP catastrophic 
coverage for improved and native pasture.
  I am concerned, however, that without the clarification provided by 
this legislation, the inclusion of native pasture may be at risk as the 
administration promulgates its new regulations under the FAIR Act.
  Mr. President, I believe that failing to provide assistance to our 
ranchers today will cost us tomorrow. Many communities in New Mexico 
depend on the cattle industry.
  In fact, livestock products accounted for $1.1 billion of cash 
receipts for all agricultural commodities in New Mexico in 1994.
  The support we give our livestock industry during this period of 
drought, low prices, and high feed costs will save numerous small, 
family-owned business in these devastated areas.
  Mr. President, I urge my colleagues to support this clarification to 
existing law.
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