39 



JIM NUSSLE 



2o Distinct, low* 

 COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE 



SUICOMMIfTJH 



COMMITTEE ON BANKING. FINANCE 

 AND URBAN AFFAIRS 



Suicouuimis 



(CWOWC G»OWT>. »■£> C*IWT fOOHU 



latiaiunOMM iii.nnmi"i !'■'■ 



Congress of the lanited States 



House of THeprcsnitattoeB 

 Washington, ©£ 20515-1502 



October 29, 1993 



308 Canhom MOWll OM'CI BUtlDINC 



WainingtOn, DC 20515-1502 



12021 225-2911 



DISTRICT OFFICES: 



3356 KlMiAll AVENUE 



Wahaioo ia 50702 

 |319) 235-1109 



2300 JONN F KENNEDY ROAD 



OutoouE. IA 52002 



13191557-7740 



223 WfST Main StaECT 



Manchestea. ia 62057 



(3191927-5141 



1825 Fouktm Stneet SW 



Mason City. IA 60401 



1515) 423-0303 



The Honorable Mike Espy 



Secretary of Agriculture 



United States Department Of Agriculture 



14th & independence Avenue, SW 



Washington, D.C. 20250 



Dear Secretary Espy: 



As you know, the flooding throughout the Midwest this year 

 has caused severe damage and tremendous agricultural product ion 

 Josses? Including many farms growing horticultural crops. 



For example, I have been contacted by a number of Iowa 

 nursery growers inquiring as to what specific USDA disaster 

 assignee programs may be available to them. I understand that 

 "the past there has been confusion about nursery eligibility. 

 As such I ask you to respond to the following requests. Ihope 

 vour responses will be detailed enough to serve as a guideline to 

 nurserielwho are contemplating applying for federal assistance. 



1 Please identify all of the Department's disaster 

 assistance programs for which nursery crops are 

 specifically eligible. 



Please list all of the specific eligibility 

 requirements or criteria under each such disaster 

 program which nursery growers must meet in order tor 

 their applications to be processed and approved. 



3 Please identify how many nursery growers applied for 

 assistance under each of the Department's disaster 

 proqrams during 1992; the percentage of the applicants 

 who actually received assistance; and the percentage 

 nursery growers represent in the total number of farmer 

 applications for each of the disaster programs under the 

 Department's jurisdiction. 



Thank you in advance for your time and attention to this 

 important matter. I look forward to hearing from you. 



;erely, 



JN:lkt 



