| CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) -- Wyoming sheep ranchers, sugar beet
growers and producers affected by drought will benefit from an agriculture
spending bill sent to President Clinton. U.S. Sens. Craig Thomas and Mike
Enzi, both R-Wyo., said the $78 billion bill, passed 86-8 by the Senate
Wednesday, also includes language allowing livestock and other producers
to more directly benefit from "anti-dumping" laws. In addition,
the bill provides $1 million for Wyoming, Montana and Idaho to help
address livestock losses from federally protected predators. The bill
includes $490 million for producers hurt by the drought.
Wyoming Gov. Jim Geringer has requested that all Wyoming counties be
designated disaster areas because of drought and wildfires. The U.S.
Department of Agriculture is reviewing the request. Eligible livestock
producers will be able to apply for financial assistance based on
guidelines to be determined by the USDA.
The legislation also provides for about $20 million in direct payments
to wool producers for the 2000 marketing year. The payment rate would be
40 cents per pound of wool, which will help offset the current 75 cents
per pound production cost. Wyoming woolgrowers have produced between 4.9
million and 5.5 million pounds of wool in the last two years. Wool prices
are down from previous years. Another provision in the bill would allow
sugar beet producers to pay off their federal loans by forfeiting their
crop to the government instead of requiring cash. This puts sugar beet
growers on par with growers of other types of crops who already have this
option.
One other part of the bill includes language that may help farmers or
ranchers hurt by another country illegally dumping or flooding the U.S.
market with a particular commodity. The bill prescribes a system be set up
where affected industries can receive money from the fines paid by the
countries that have violated trade law. |