East Idaho Times

U.S. Senator Mike Crapo, along with a bipartisan group of senators, has called on the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry to address the long-term drought crisis in the upcoming Farm Bill. The senators emphasized the devastating impact of severe drought on rural communities and the need for support measures to mitigate its effects.

In a letter addressed to the committee's leadership, the senators highlighted the crucial role of agriculture as the economic backbone of rural areas. They emphasized that prolonged droughts have led to diminishing crop and livestock outputs, impacting not only individual producers but also the broader local economy and food system.

The senators urged the committee to consider the risks of drought as they draft the Farm Bill. They stressed the importance of a multi-year Farm Bill that provides support to conserve water, improve watershed scale planning, upgrade water infrastructure, protect land from erosion, and create long-term resiliency for growers in drought-affected regions.

The letter was signed by Senators John Hickenlooper, Mark Kelly, Jerry Moran, Jacky Rosen, Jim Risch, Kyrsten Sinema, Laphonza Butler, Ron Wyden, Patty Murray, Catherine Cortez Masto, Martin Heinrich, Jeff Merkley, Ben Ray Luján, and Alex Padilla.

The senators' collective call for action underscores the urgent need to address the long-term drought crisis in the Farm Bill. With the livelihoods of farmers and ranchers at stake, it is crucial to implement measures that will provide the necessary support and resilience to combat the devastating impact of drought on rural communities.

The full letter can be accessed HERE.

Click this link to access more information: https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-colleagues-call-on-ag-committee-leadership-to-address-long-term-drought-in-farm-bill