Farm Bureau Leader Exhorts
Members To Seek Assistance

WACO — The president of the Texas Farm Bureau issued a "call to action" to the group’s membership late last week, saying the 1998 drouth has produced a Texas-sized disaster of catastrophic proportions.

"Let's be honest," said Bob Stallman, president of the state's largest farm group. "Low interest loans are not the solution by themselves, because more debt is the last thing that many farmers and ranchers need."

Stallman, a rice producer from Columbus, warned that "some very good agricultural producers will be lost this year." The federal Farm Service Agency estimates that as many as 30 percent of Texas producers could go out of business.

With less than a month remaining before Congressional adjournment, Stallman urged Farm Bureau members and other farmers to contact their representatives in Congress immediately.

Stallman said the drouth crisis is growing in magnitude daily, and recent spotty rains have done little to relieve the situation.

"Texas agriculture is already looking at a $2.1 billion direct impact on farm and ranch families," Stallman said. "The overall impact on the Texas economy is now pushing $6 billion."

Stallman cited the failure of federal crop insurance programs and last year's removal of many traditional disaster programs as part of the problem.

"Crops have failed, loans are due, and many producers are near the end of their rope."

Taken together, Stallman said, the drouths of 1996 and 1998 have had a cumulative and disastrous effect.

"Without immediate and substantial assistance, many Texas farm families will leave the land before this year is over," he said.

Stallman urged Farm Bureau members to contact their members of Congress "without delay" and urge passage of a major disaster relief bill that will provide direct financial assistance to producers.

"The safety net of previous farm programs is gone, and the only responsible action is to take immediate steps to preserve family farms and ranches," Stallman said.