Melancon Says USDA Hurricane Relief Efforts Lagging In La.

This article reports that U.S. House Representative Charlie Melancon, criticized officials of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for not using a special provision to help Louisiana farmers hurt by Hurricane Katrina as they did for Florida farmers harmed by last year's hurricane there. Melancon asked USDA Chief Economist Keith Collins at a House Agriculture General Commodities Subcommittee hearing on the state of the farm economy. Collins replied that it was "unfair" to make such a statement about the USDA's performance in Louisiana because the agency has delivered so much food aid to the state and arranged for emergency food stamps for hurricane victims. Melancon said that USDA last year used Section 32 of the Agricultural Adjustment Act to help farmers in Florida but has not used it in Louisiana. Section 32 gives the USDA wide authority to strengthen farm prices and is financed by a permanent appropriation equal to 30 percent of the import duties, plus any unused balances up to $300 million.