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That simply is not the case. The testimony you hear today will prove the opposite. It 

 will make you aware of the red tape and qualifying nightmares growers have to contend 

 with in their attempt to receive assistance. In many cases, they are totally shut out of 

 the assistance process. 



Let me share just one incident of bureaucratic bungling which stands out in this 

 scenario. The ASCS has a program called the Environmental Conservation Program 

 (ECP) which is one of the few, if not the only assistance program that requires cost 

 sharing on the part of the participant. 



LET ME REPEAT THAT STATEMENT: THE ECP IS ONE OF THE FEW. IF NOT THE 

 ONLY DISASTER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM THAT REQUIRES COST SHARING ON 

 THE PART OF THE PARTICIPANT. 



When funding for this program was appropriated, it was short-changed by millions of 

 dollars. Remember now, this is not a hand-out program, but one that requires 

 participants to put up a share of their own money to qualify for assistance. 



Many growers who were devastated by Hurricane Andrew made business decisions 

 based on the fact that assistance would be forthcoming and they would share the costs. 

 A few weeks later they would be told that the funding was being cut by 50%. 



Admittedly, after months of wrangling, additional funds were restored, but the damage 

 was already done to many growers. 



Simply stated, most of the disaster programs do not consider the unique needs of the 

 nursery industry. There is a mind-set by those who administer the programs that the 

 industry isn't agriculture. And, the programs that would involve cost sharing are not 

 being properly appropriated. 



We honestly hope this hearing will send a wake up call to those who make the decisions 

 to simply recognize the nursery industry in the nation for what it is. 



THE NURSERY INDUSTRY IS AGRICULTURE AND IT HAS SPECIFIC NEEDS WHICH 

 DO NOT APPLY TO OTHER SEGMENTS OF THE AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY. 



THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION! 



