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Testimony on Response to Disaster & Disaster Assistance 



BY 

 REED OLSZACK 

 County Chairman 

 Dade County, Florida 

 ASCS 



The Honorable Charlie Rose, Chairman 

 Members of the Sub-Committee, 



I am W. Reed Olszack, a farmer in Homestead, Dade County, Florida 

 I am involved in the rebuilding of south Dade County agriculture on 3 

 levels. Primarily as a grower since 1983 of 20 acres of specialty 

 tropical fruit. My crops are as follows: carambola (star fruit), 

 litchi, longan, sugar apple, atemoya & avocado. 



Secondly, I have been employed since 1976 as a production manager 

 for J.R. Brooks and Son, Inc., in Homestead. I am responsible for 

 production, planting through harvest, of some 10 different tropical 

 fruit crops. 



Lastly, I have been serving for the last 3 years as County 

 Chairman of the Dade County Florida ASCS Committee. I have had broad 

 exposure to the challenges and opportunities in the aftermath of 

 Hurricane Andrew. Therefore, my comments will primarily cover ASCS 

 related issues. 



I would first like to address the initial response to the disaster 

 by ASCS. The concern and promptness by ASCS at the State and Federal 

 level was appreciated. The county committee was charged with 

 establishing pricing guidelines for debris removal and site cleanup. 

 We were also asked to give estimates in total cost of cleanup and acres 

 affected. We canvassed as many growers as possible under obviously 

 extreme conditions. Lack of phone and electric service made the task 

 extremely difficult. Public meetings were held within weeks of the 

 disaster to inform producers of programs available and sign up 



