51 



STATEMENT BY BRUCE R. WEBER 



AGRIC TABILIZATION AND CONSERVATION SERVICE 



. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



BEFORE THE 



SUBCOMMITTEE ON SPECIALTY CROPS AND NATURAL RESOURCES 



COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE 



U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 



NOVEMBER 16, 1993 



Mr. Chairmen and members of the Subcommittee, I am pleased to testify today on how the 

 Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service (ASCS) and the Commodity Credit 

 Corporation (CCC) administer the disaster assistance programs in the case of citrus fruits, 

 nursery crops, and trees, particularly those losses suffered due to a natural disaster in 1992. 

 Before I do that, I would like to briefly review the most relevant statutes that apply to such 

 losses. 



As you are all aware, the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (Public 

 Law 101-624) provides the general framework for crop-loss assistance, such as the rules for 

 determining eligible production losses and corresponding payment rates for eligible crops, 

 and for cost-share assistance on replacing or rehabilitating orchard and forest-crop trees 

 destroyed or damaged due to eligible disaster conditions. 



Public Law 103-50, The Supplemental Appropriations Act, FY 1993, requires that 

 unallocated funds originally designated for eligible quantity losses in 1990, 1991, and 1992 

 be used to make crop-loss payments for quality losses in 1990, 1991, and 1992. Also, 

 producers with 1993 through 1995 production losses due to Hurricanes Andrew and Iniki and 

 Typhoon Omar would be eligible for crop-loss assistance. Public Law 103-50 further 

 specifies that eligible disaster benefit claims be totaled and prorated by a factor not to exceed 



