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California Farm Bureau Federation 



1601 Exposition Boulevard • Sacramento, CA 95815 • Telephone (916) 924 4000 



Mr. Chairman, my name is Bob L. Vice, and I am President of the 

 California Farm Bureau Federation (CFBF) . Thank you for seeking 

 public input regarding the Agriculture Department's disaster 

 assistance programs for specialty crops. 



As you know, specialty crops are the bread and butter of California 

 agriculture. We produce over 250 commodities throughout the state, 

 mostly "specialty** crops, and no one commodity is dominant. That 

 being the case, we have a special perspective on the topic at hand. 



First of all, in general, we believe that natural disaster relief 

 for farmers (regardless of crop produced) should be available at 

 the same level as is available to all other disaster victims. For 

 example, victims of the recent Hurricanes (Andrew and Tniki) and of 

 the flood of 1993 came from all walks of life, including 

 agriculture. Farmers and ranchers impacted by those natural 

 disasters deserve ths same level of relief as everyone else. 



Regarding disaster assistance for specialty crops, we point out 

 that it would not be necessary to even discuss it if there were in 

 place a viable multi-peril insurance program for all agricultural 

 production in all parts of the United States and Puerto Rico. This 

 should be the eventual goal. If we are to achieve it, we must 

 recognize that it will require the eventual elimination of disaster 

 programs for agriculture. If agricultural disaster programs are 

 not eliminated, there will be no incentive for the thousands of 

 producers who currently choose not to purchase crop insurance to 

 ever purchase it. 



For the near tern, however, it is clear that we will not have a 

 crop insurance program for all commodities in all areas of the 

 country. How can disaster assistance be made to better fill the 

 void, particularly for specialty crop producers? 



The need for more flexibility is the primary ingredient. With 

 literally hundreds of specialty crops grown throughout the nation, 

 it is unrealistic for Congress to expect to pass disaster 

 legislation that addresses the specific and detailed needs of every 

 crop that might be impacted. 



For example, sons commodities do not actually demonstrate a loss of 

 yield until the calendar year following the year a disaster 

 actually takes place. Yet some producers have actually been denied 

 relief beoause of this. Also, oftentimes a grower's loss is more 

 of a quality nature than of quantity nature. While the loss is 

 just as acute on the grower's bottom line, the ability of the 

 disaster prograa to compensate that grower is questionable. 



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