The U.S. Department of Agriculture has rejected a request from Gov. Bill Ritter to declare a crop disaster in 10 Colorado counties, saying there is no evidence farmers suffered from two blizzards that hit the state in December, according to a letter obtained by The Associated Press.
The letter, sent to Ritter on Feb. 5, said USDA found “no qualifying production losses in a single farm enterprise due to the natural disaster” and was “unable to approve your request for the designation of any of the counties named.” Ritter had sought crop-disaster declarations for Baca, Bent, Cheyenne, Crowley, Huerfano, Kiowa, Las Animas, Lincoln, Otero and Prowers.
The December blizzards left drifts up to 10 feet deep, covering watering holes, stranding drivers and isolating many farms and ranches. Officials have estimated 10,000 to 15,000 cattle died.
Sheldon Jones, legislative director for state Agriculture Secretary John Stulp, said he was unaware of the letter and believed it was premature. He said the state already has received disaster declarations for cattle losses due to the blizzards.
USDA made emergency loans available on Jan. 26 to cattle ranchers in most of the same counties where crop assistance was also being sought.
“I don’t know how they could make those assessments (about crops) when they can’t see the ground,” he said.
U.S. Rep. John Salazar, D-Colo., said he was stunned by the rejection.
“Agriculture in southeastern Colorado is the backbone to our state’s economy. The severe storms that hit Colorado have devastated the livelihood of our farmers and ranchers. They were depending on support from our federal government and they have been let down,” he said.
“More than 10,000 cattle died during those blizzards. For the USDA to not offer any support other than loans is a huge hit to our farmers and ranchers in rural Colorado,” Salazar said.
He said the rejection shows Congress needs to include a Permanent Disaster Relief Program in the 2007 farm bill.
State officials have approved more than $2.6 million to hard-hit counties for snow removal, but that money was not intended to help farmers and ranchers.
