23 



this money to pay contractors, to pay suppliers, to pay vendors so 

 that they can get back into their agricultural business. 



We also need to look at Federal crop insurance for excessive 

 claims and the funding shortfalls for future disasters has been 

 touched upon by some other witnesses here. Around FmHA loans, 

 Richard Gallant spoke about the paperwork reduction. That has to 

 be looked at. The collateralization requirements, that has to be 

 looked at. We need to review the TAP payments again to these 

 long-term tree crop producers because the current TAP situation 

 does not account for long-term productivity. 



We also need to allow the local, State, and county offices more 

 discretion on payment procedures and guidelines. We had asked for 

 those extensions. At one point some of those extensions were de- 

 nied and we had to go back to some of our congressional Represent- 

 atives to ask that these deadlines be extended. 



We had situations where producers could not get trees to plant 

 in the ground. What would be the sense then in restoring your irri- 

 gation system and opening it up to vandalism and theft while you 

 are awaiting tree orders that sometimes take up to a year? 



We have to streamline the internal movement of funds within 

 programs in USDA to expedite appropriations where short falls and 

 surpluses occur. One good example of this was Secretary Espy's 

 ability to take money from the conservation reserve program and 

 move it into ECP for restoration of the 60 percent cost share for 

 cleanup. 



One comment on the dead tree issue, if this is going to be re- 

 solved in a favorable manner, what we need to do is set aside ap- 

 proximately $26 million to accommodate tree crop producers for 

 1993, 1994, and 1995. 



Looking at some numbers, if I may take a few more minutes 

 here, under the disaster payment for 1993, 1994, 1995, a $240 mil- 

 lion nursery industry, crop loss we are looking at paying out $24 

 million. On a $240 million crop loss in the tropical fruit industry, 

 because of the dead tree issue, we are looking at a payment of $2 

 to $3 million for the tree crop producers. There is a tremendous in- 

 equity there. 



Just as a final comment, we have had heard a lot about sustain- 

 ability of agriculture from this administration and previous admin- 

 istrations, also USDA. If you want sustainability of agriculture, you 

 have to be able to stand behind agriculture in times of disaster. 

 Farmers need that. 



I think it is part of the Government's responsibility to do that. 

 Thank you. 



[The prepared statement of Mr. Olszack appears at the conclu- 

 sion of the hearing.] 



Mrs. THURMAN. Next, Mr. Kirby. 



STATEMENT OF TOM KIRBY, DIRECTOR, EXECUTIVE AND 

 GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS, DADE COUNTY FARM BUREAU 



Mr. Kirby. Madam chairman and members of the subcommittee, 

 on August 24, 1992, nearly 16 months ago, Hurricane Andrew rav- 

 aged south Dade County, Florida. It destroyed homes, retail busi- 

 nesses, it destroyed professional offices, shopping centers. No one 

 or nothing in the storms's path was spared, and that included the 



