Sens. Allard, Salazar Lead Colorado Delegation In Pressing USDA For Blizzard Aid

SENS. ALLARD, SALAZAR LEAD COLORADO DELEGATION IN PRESSING USDA FOR BLIZZARD AID

U.S. Sens. Wayne Allard (R-CO) and Ken Salazar (D-CO) led the members of Colorado's Congressional delegation in an effort to convince the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to make a disaster declaration in several blizzard-hit Colorado counties.

Such a declaration would assist ranchers whose cattle have been hit hard by recent blizzards. The part of Colorado the members of Congress are requesting aid for is home to almost 500,000 head of livestock whose worth is valued at over a half billion dollars. While current confirmed losses are below ten thousand, experts in Colorado are certain that this number will continue to rise as conditions begin to allow more access to the hardest hit areas.

The Senators wrote in their letter, "Agriculture is a major component of life in the West and a key part of the economy in Colorado. The blizzards of late December have had a major negative impact on the livelihood of hundreds of farmers and ranchers. The full effects of these storms will reverberate with folks in Colorado long after the visible signs of damage have passed."

The delegation also asked USDA to assist the State of Colorado in identifying programs and funding, such as emergency feed programs, livestock carcass disposal programs, low or no-interest loan programs, as well as any other programs that can be used to aid the farmers and ranchers in getting back on their feet following these concurrent blizzards.

The letter was also signed by the following members of the Colorado Congressional delegation: U.S. Reps. Diana DeGette, Mark Udall, John Salazar, Marilyn Musgrave, Doug Lamborn and Ed Perlmutter.

http://allard.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressReleases.Detail&PressRelease_id=232098&Month=1&Year=2007