Tom Harkin: “I want to commend Senator Conrad for introducing this legislation to correct a provision in the newly passed farm bill…”

“I want to commend Senator Conrad for introducing this legislation to correct a provision in the newly passed farm bill that threatens to leave thousands of farm families in the lurch as they attempt to get a crop in the ground this spring. This feature of the new farm bill hits especially hard farmers, such as those in parts of Iowa, who are trying to recover from the hardships caused by disaster situations beyond their control. It is my understanding that some 30 to 40 percent of the approximately 8,000 USDA borrowers in Iowa are likely to be adversely affected by this provision. The provision involved here prohibits USDA from making any type of operating, farm ownership, or emergency loan to a person who has at any time received any debt forgiveness from USDA on such a loan in the past. This provision was by clear terms made effective immediately upon enactment of the new farm bill, which was signed into law on April 4 of this year. As a consequence, many farmers who were in the process of having loans approved are cut off at the very last moment from credit that they were fully justified in counting on for planting this year's crop. Farm families have enough to worry about during planting season without having Congress create a whole new set of unanticipated problems and worries for them.”