Senator Tom Harkin says the Senate Ag Committee will start drafting an emergency relief package for farmers hit by disaster in the last growing season. Harkin says some of the nation’s farmers were devastated by drought.Harkin says the bill would extend disaster payments to southern Iowa farmers who were prevented from planting a crop last year because of the weather.Harkin, who’s chairman of the committee, says the panel will start debating it this week or next.Harkin, though, admits the bill will have a tough row to hoe in the House where many republicans say there’s no room in the budget plan for disaster relief. Harkin has a rebuttal.Harkin says if a hurricane strikes Florida, the federal government will provide emergency disaster aid, and farmers damaged, financially, by a natural disaster should get the same consideration.
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