WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman David G. Valadao (CA-22) questioned Secretary of Agriculture Thomas Vilsack on disaster relief for Central Valley dairy producers during a House Appropriations Committee hearing. Congressman Valadao raised his concerns that the Secretary was not using his full authorities within the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) to quickly get disaster assistance to dairy farmers in the Central Valley. He argues that Secretary Vilsack is not using his full authorities that Secretary Purdue used to quickly assist dairy producers in Puerto Rico after the 2017 hurricanes.

“There has been no similar action taken to help reimburse our California producers for feed losses, relocation of livestock, or shelter-in-place procedures,” said Rep. Valadao.

Secretary Vilsack maintained he does not have the ability to assist dairy producers using the CCC. Rep. Valadao pushed back on these clams:

“There’s a lot of evidence where you’re saying you’re using this [ccc] to help farmer prices, but there’s no evidence to back that up. Now there’s a precedent that can be set, that has been set, on helping dairy farmers who have needed help in the past, there’s an opportunity here to help one specific category that did not qualify for any of the other assistance that was provided during those same storms. Why are they being left behind?”

Watch the Congressman’s full line of questioning here or below.

Rep. Valadao introduced legislation last year to give the Secretary of Agriculture explicit authorities to assist dairy producers using CCC funds.

Background:

In 2017, Puerto Rico’s dairy industry was devastated by hurricanes. At the time, the USDA took swift action to aid their operators by allocating up to $12 million through the Commodity Credit Corporation so that Puerto Rico dairy producers could apply to receive vouchers that covered 100% of estimated feed costs per head for 30 days. No such action has been taken by the USDA following historic flooding in California’s Central Valley, where dairy producers have borne the cost of property damage, feed losses, and transportation costs from moving livestock. 

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