The US Department of Agriculture Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agriculture Services Michael Scuse recently visited South Dakota in the wake of a major blizzard that buried fields and pounded crops. Scuse’s visit focused on the need of Congress to pass a new farm bill.
The past few years have been defined by unusual and severe weather patterns. 2012’s summer was defined by record-high temperatures and a savage drought that crippled production across the country. This summer and fall was marked by heavy rainfall that drowned crops across the South and Southeast. While unusual weather has been a part of agricultural production since the domestication of agriculture, farmers have been protected by federal farm subsidies.
Without a new farm bill, however, farmers have fewer protections in the face of severe weather. Earlier this month, a severe blizzard swept through parts of western South Dakota. In response, Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agriculture Services Michael Scuse visited the state to offer support and aid to beleaguered farmers and to pressure Congress to pass a new farm bill.
“This blizzard impacted lives and livelihoods across the region and USDA is committed to doing all we can to help ranchers during this difficult time,” Scuse said. “Due to the lack of a new Farm Bill, our means to help are limited – but we will do all we can. This disaster is a reminder of the unpredictable nature of agriculture, and the need for a strong farm safety net that would be provided by a new Food, Farm and Jobs Bill.”
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Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer