Wisconsin Ag Connection - Ag Secretary Nilsestuen Tours Flood-Damaged Farms

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Ag Secretary Nilsestuen Tours Flood-Damaged Farms
Wisconsin Ag Connection - 06/23/2008

Wisconsin's agriculture secretary spent part of last week visiting flood-damaged farms and rural communities in Iowa, Richland and Vernon counties to show support for the agricultural community and to observe flood-damage first hand. Rod Nilsestuen says this was the worst flood in his memory and said he was truly impressed by the resilience shown by the farmers and communities he visited.

"People are working together night and day to clean up and recover, but it will be a trying year for all," Nilsestuen said. "Our heart goes out to them."

The Secretary visited Avoca, a small, rural community in Iowa County with extensive flood damage; Viola in Vernon County; a 235 cow dairy and grain farm and a 2,600 acre grain farm near Avoca; a crop farm along the Kickapoo River and a 40-cow dairy in Vernon County. The farm home had been flooded. He said state government is working to partner with local and federal agencies to get help to people in crisis.

"Many farmers will lose income. It is too early to know what all the agricultural resources will be to help mitigate losses and I do not want to over-promise what will be available," Nilsestuen noted. "But U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer assured me on Wednesday that no one will have to shoulder all the losses alone."

In addition to crops losses, much valuable top soil has been washed away.

Meanwhile, the Senate will consider more than $480 million funding for agriculture in response to flooding in the Midwest this week. The package offers assistance with rehabilitating farmland and rebuilding infrastructure: more than $89 million for emergency conservation and $390 million for emergency watershed protection such as rebuilding dams and levees.

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