As part of an emergency appropriations bill, Congress has approved a boost in Farm Service Agency loans requested by Colorado’s two senators.
The volume of loans available nationally to farmers, including those in Colorado, will grow to about $800 million.
Sens. Mark Udall and Michael Bennet, both Democrats, had asked a joint House-Senate panel to make the move to help farmers — especially those in Northern Colorado and on the Eastern Plains left in financial limbo by the closure of New Frontier Bank.
The senators, along with Democratic Rep. Betsy Markey, also persuaded U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to shift funding within loan programs to make additional money available to qualified farmers.
The emergency funding approved last week increases the overall pot of money for FSA loans this fiscal year.
Miles Moffeit, The Denver Post
