This is two hours and 15 minutes. The joint hearing of the subcommittee and Risk Management and livestock and aquaculture entitled to review the implementation of the federal farm Disaster Relief will come to order. Thank you and welcome to the joint hearing subcommittees of the general farm commodities Risk Management and livestock and foreign agriculture is a. Im pleased to be joined by my colleague as well as my esteemed Ranking Member into the chairman and fellow Ranking Member mike conaway the first hearing comes at a very important time for farmers. Usda and in particular the Conservation Mission area in Farm Service Agency is in the middle of a huge job. Currently at the helm of three efforts to address the needs of farmers, ranchers and the communities in the country. The Market Facilitation Program which is meant to assist the farmers most directly harmed by the trade war and the expanded wildfires overcame Indemnity Program which will aid in the recovery from the natural disasters and programs like other sports in title i of the bill which provide a Risk Management framework it is our job on the committee to ensure they are structured and implemented in a way that can effectively serve the farmers, ranchers and towns to need them right now. Its also our job to ensure that they are implemented in a way that is fair, transparent and consistent in the wall and we can absolutely give them the help they need while still conducting appropriate oversight. I have concerns about the path especially when it comes to staffing. I hear from farmers about the local offices. Resources are stretched thin and i would like to hear what plans they have to make sure the resources are managed effectively. On top of that there are many stories about Software Glitches and unprepared staff struggling to process the disaster payments. Its clear they want to find efficiencies, but are they prepared to make the changes needed to deliver these Important Services even if that means increasing not decreasing staff and resources. I look forward to hearing the testimony today, mr. Secretary. I now recognize chairman thompson for an opening statement. Having us focus on the way its scoring about the business and trying to help farmers and ranchers across the country but at the juncture where it is difficult it is a process we have gone through the last eight days it is shameful. Its one thing to use Rural America as a weapon against President Trump and the negotiations but it is a Something Else to have the power of this body using the same people as leverage because you simply dont like President Trump. This committee worked to try to make sure that Rural America is protected. Shame on us for allowing that to happen. It is one thing to list to try to harass the businesses and hurt them financially for this body to do the same thing with the funding mechanism that has always gone forward without impediments and mike leaks on the other side of the isle i say that this has been done before. Some restrictions placed on the funding as a result of the financial these promises on the payments into the Disaster Relief have been made and for us to threaten Rural America is terrible. In the face of all things the chairman said had to get done now weve added another report to that workload and weve also not fully funded, we have given certain funding as opposed to moving it to the 30 billion so now on congratulations as the chairman said yesterday on the radio, from now on the process will now be a weapon both sides can use if they think it is to their advantage and shame on us. I yield back. Mr. Chairman, i recognize chairman peterson. The members some history this was put in place by the Republican Party in 2010 and was put in place because at that time they thought he was using the ccc to help lin lincoln whit the time was the chairman of the committee and to the reelection because there was a disaster in arkansas and the senate would do the disaster though so what happens with a different statistical limitations so he couldnt use that to do it so you put it in place, not us. Whats happened ever since his the Appropriations Committee has waived extradition. It didnt come from the house. It came out of the senate. So, whatever it is. My concern about this and what i saw on the radio yesterday is, and this is legitimate, there were a handful of members that understood what it was before this all started and that isnt just the latest dustup. The president using this elevated this and now weve had people talk from the liberal side complaining about it but never knew there was a ccc and how it operated and the Freedom Caucus started to weigh into this thing. It wasnt the house that was wag this, it was the senate. Thats where these troubles usually start so i just want to clear the record. I will now write it in his budget plan from pennsylvania, the Ranking Member of the commodities Risk Management subcommittee mr. Thompson for his opening remarks. Thank you for holding this important hearing regarding implementation of 2018 farm bill provision in the Disaster Assistance and for providing an update on these important policies. Over the past few years it seems like there isnt a single region of the country that isnt immune from others devastation not only are the producers having to grapple with extreme weather but also bad markets and ever changing landscape for the global trade not to mention the policy and the uncertainty coming out of washington. But only have exacerbated from the farm bill programs despite having numerous policies to implement which we will hear more about today. For the farm safety net that shouldnt be overlooked and do not forget in the conference we were having to negotiate against a senate bill that wouldv woule cut 700 million out of the baseline in the critical programs. It is unconscionable to me people would be advocating for the move off the safety net when the producers are looking for any lifeline available to keep their family farms in business. Im proud weve are able to hold the line and produce a conference report that provides improvements to the title i programs to the benefit of all in the country. To act swiftly to improve the United States etc. And Canada Agreement which make the key improvements to provide 2. 2 billion of additional experts for the producers particularly for the main commodity produced in my district. Beyond the access they are currently in talks with the United States has a wherewithal to follow through in the commitments made which will lead to other opportunities just like what we saw in the agreement with japan. Congress wants to prove and failure to do so will result in the relationships and negotiating partners not just for this administration but all future administrations house while. Thanks again for holding this joint hearing and i look forward to hearing from the undersecretary of the actions taken to aid the farmers and ranchers. I recognize the gentleman from california on the foreign agriculture. Thank you very much mr. Chairman. Its important that the subcommittees meet together this morning with the implementation of the federal Fund Disaster program its fitting and appropriate given the challenges we are facing today and for all of the members that are participating, i think you. I also want to note it was important that chairman peterson clarified the history in the record as it relates to these activities that were most recently involved at the continuing resolution that we need to test this week and we need to obviously have a budget because frankly it is responsiblirresponsible to shutn government. I always felt it was to do just that for political agenda is inappropriate, period. And certainly i think that the president learned that lesson the hard way last year. The history as the chairman pointed out is really not known by the majority of members of congress and told us last week. Its important to note because frankly, we shouldnt be politicizing this isnt part of the committee and my sense is that it came from the senate as well but we have to deal with it. What we are dealing with today is where the safety net is and where is the safety net for farmers and ranchers and people across the country. The new Dairy Margin Program that would work so hard on the reauthorization of the last farm bill and the administrations Market Facilitation Program is properly implemented and that is why we have the secretary here today. The signup was set to end tomorrow. I think its important that we give the men and women every opportunity to sign up for this program. We will be asking the secretary where we are in terms of the signup and whether or not the members kind of coincide with the numbers that ive heard. This year given that we have a brandnew program, but at the same time i know youve got the challenge because we have to signup for the 2020 program. So, im sympathetic to the challenge that the department is facing in that instance. That is obviously the intention. I have a difference with the administration and the presiden president. The president has said farmers are better off with Market Facilitation Programs before the trade war. In the dairy market is very important from california and new mexico. But yet when i talk to farmers its not just my history and farmers from california they agreed. That it is important that they have access to markets and that is a concern that i have. And those really dont come close. You get between 16 and 18 to stave off bankruptcy or foreclosure 12 cents per 100 so i dont know what the usda leadership thinks i am interested. And how the Market Facilitation Program was set up. But thank you for joining this hearing with me. You have a farm background and how difficult it is and we appreciate your participation to give a sense of your testimony and where we go with this. And with the subcommittee any remarks they wish to make quick. Thank you mister chairman i have a prepared statement i will submit for the record and have a couple of comments but first and just how critical it is. Because so many other colleagues that dont represent those areas that is significant there is a wide gap that is not uncommon around the countryside either we take it for granted every single day of our lives for xhosa we as republicans and democrats on this committee stick together to promote and educate to persuade other members of congress to understand the gravity of what we are doing with production and agriculture. Clearly country that can feed itself is in the enviable position and i have been around agriculture ive been on the senate staff and i never understood why in addition to Crop Insurance there was a Catastrophic Fund we are not waiting on congress for whatever it may be to have a program in place similar to fema and you have it there when a disaster hit and if you need to come back and supplement that so very clearly as valuable as Crop Insurance is you have economic losses year after year the hurricane of economics that farmers have millions and millions of dollars and then the hurricane hits in Early September and they dont have the opportunity to get anything from that investment and meanwhile due to the hardships over a period of time and then it Takes Congress months to get any kind of disaster aid package and i just think this has been an ageold pro problem you have to have a better solution its very helpful but there are so many times we face when its just not quite enough so thats where we are i look forward to your comments and i look forward to questions and answers and i yelled back. Thank you each of you for the Current Conditions facing agriculture in your state i would like to request Opening Statements be submitted for the record to ensure that there is ample time for questions we like to welcome our witness the undersecretary for farm production and conservation for usda fourthgeneration farmer from iowa serving as iowa secretary of agriculture 2006 through 2018 please begin when you are ready. Thank you. Chairman daily think Ranking Members in congress dissing which members of the committee im honored to be with you this morning to discuss the work usda has accomplished and continues to deliver to implement the 2018 farm bill thank you for your leadership to provide the programs and funding to support the nations hardworking farmers and ranchers in forresters i am privileged to be the undersecretary for f pack the farmer facing agencies of fsa are an a and an rcs since signing the farm bill into law last december 1 of the highest priorities is the Dairy Margin Coverage Program fsa was made famous july 11th and as of last evening we had 21000 and load and rolled with the 230 million being paid to ensure that the producers have enough time enrolled and we are extending the deadline from september 20th through september 27th so the fsa offices have and will make that extra to make sure they are notified of the approaching deadline with postcards and emails and additionally cooperatives have been important partners to Share Program information and deadlines and we will work with them to do so. To implement the 2018 farm bill the signup began for the 2019 program and then to implement key Crop Insurance with the enterprise units to provide Insurance Options for harvesting of wheat to provide coverage for hampton the crop year 2020 on the conservation side with continuous enrollment and fsa is planning as signup in september on septd we publish the announcement of funds availability for the Partnership Program and additionally to implement the agriculture appeasement program with existing regulation new regulations will be published soon for the implementation of those programs in 2020 this past year has tested the resilience of americas farmers Crop Insurance supplemental Disaster Assistance program ensures to help producers for those who were unable to plant crops that had significant delays in planting to increase the delivery with earlier harvest with the filing deadline and providing by deferring interest charges we took these actions based on the comments we received from you in farm organizations and producers there is also a lot of interest in the implementation of the supplemental Disaster Relief bill last week fsa plus program which provides payments to producers for natural disasters occurring in 2018 and 2019 and we began accepting payments but also included in that was payments for milk loss for the peach and blueberry freeze losses in addition for moisture related claims to receive payment between ten and 15 percent of their indemnity. Providing relief through the Conservation Program through the Restoration Program the Emergency Watershed Program which were provided with 5 billion in the Disaster Relief bill. With that Facilitation Program to provide 14. 5 billion in direct payments with us farm goods so july 29th 2 run through december 6 the beginning of this week we had more than 300,000 applications and 4 billion have been paid to producers. February 2018 usda launched the website making it easier for producers to access information we can also access the farm loan and the discovery tool and we began accepting debit card payments online as well. And for Agricultural Producers and then to manage their risks and for the hard work with the 2018 farm bill and other programs thank you for the opportunity to testify this morning and we will help you answer any questions. Members will be recognized in those who were here at the start after that they will be recognized in order of arrival. One of the primary concerns all the programs that we paid for our accurately administered. As well as Excellent Customer Service for farmers and ranchers we are aware you made us comprehensive big investment with optimal efficiency with like Office Leases field Office Staffing is down from 11000 from 2003 what is the target number of employees containing the analysis and what the staffing model has allowed us to do those to fill those areas first. We are targeting every dollar we have from appropriations to use that staffing levels. We should have more than we have is with the model suggests. And of we have the funding to get back to the staffing eight or ten years ago youll be as proficient as we can. Of those for each of those agencies we are working hard to get that closer to 100 percent including those in excess of the farm bill activities that these are important