WASHINGTON, June 20, 2003 - The National Family Farm Coalition (NFFC) urges Congress to address what farmers in the fields across the nation are already calling a disaster-with the wettest conditions this Spring and early Summer that many farmers can recall, desperate times call for desperate measures.

"It's bad," said NFFC President George Naylor. "Most farmers haven't even had a chance to get crops in the ground but those of us who have, like me, already lost portions of their crop because of flooding and had to replant."

Farmers across the nation find themselves filing for crop insurance-this insurance will not cover their losses, however. In fact, it may not even put a dent in already accrued debts, with many farmers having already lost large amounts of money in planting and replanting.

Wet weather conditions delayed farmers' from harvesting hay to feed their livestock, meaning larger supplemental feed (a mixture of grains and proteins) bills than usual. The rain prevented most farmers from planting their spring crops-those who did get something in the ground now watch their crop value plummet.

For dairy farmers, however, this bad weather is just one more disaster on top of historically low milk prices and an industry infrastructure nearing collapse. It is no secret that dairy farmers find themselves in devastating times.

"This is our worst year since entering dairy farming in 1962," said Pennsylvania dairy farmer Donna Hall. "Milk prices are below the cost of production and the bad weather only means no crops and no hay to feed the cows. We need assistance and we need it fast," Hall said. "Dairy farmers are stressed to their maximum limit."

"We can't get bank loans or other credit, leaving us to pay out of our own equity for the 'privilege of providing dairy products to processors,'" Hall said.