Ted Cruz and Ronny Jackson push legislation to help ranchers who lost livestock in Panhandle wildfires

[Zincwarrior]

Ted Cruz pushing to expand financial assistance for ranchers who lose livestock in disasters. It opens the question. When does assistance become welfare.

Ted Cruz and Ronny Jackson push legislation to help ranchers who lost livestock in Panhandle wildfires

The Republican senator and congressman introduced a bill that would expand a federal aid program to pay ranchers when pregnant cattle are killed in disasters.

www.texastribune.org

LUBBOCK — U.S. Senator Ted Cruz and U.S. Rep. Ronny Jackson, both Republicans, are pushing legislation offering additional financial aid to ranchers who lost an excessive amount of unborn livestock in a disaster. It could help those in the Texas Panhandle trying to recover from devastating wildfires that killed more than 15,000 head of cattle, including pregnant cows.

The bill aims to enhance the Livestock Indemnity Program, administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The program was first introduced in the 2018 Farm Bill and pays livestock producers for excess deaths from severe weather, disease, or attacks by certain other animals. These payments are determined by the Secretary of Agriculture and typically equal to 75% of the average market price for the animal.

But the program doesn’t cover the death of unborn livestock. This has created another financial setback for Panhandle ranchers, who are trying to recoup their losses after the region was engulfed by wildfires in February and March. The largest of the fires was the Smokehouse Creek fire — which became the largest in state history after burning more than 1 million acres in the rural region.

“Current federal law fails to compensate producers for unborn calves,” said Allison Rivera, executive director of government affairs for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. “This legislation would change that.”


The proposed legislation would add an additional payment rate for unborn livestock to what is already in place with the Livestock Indemnity Program. The payment amount will be capped at 85% of the market value for the lowest weight class of the animal. The amount will also be determined based on the type of livestock and the average number of babies the animal typically gives birth to.

 

[rampart]

Ted Cruz pushing to expand financial assistance for ranchers who lose livestock in disasters. It opens the question. When does assistance become welfare.

Ted Cruz and Ronny Jackson push legislation to help ranchers who lost livestock in Panhandle wildfires

The Republican senator and congressman introduced a bill that would expand a federal aid program to pay ranchers when pregnant cattle are killed in disasters.

www.texastribune.org

that is an excellent question

i've thought about how we provide trailers and such after a hurricane, but people left homeless by slower moving disasters are left under the interstate.

 

[theHawk]

Ted Cruz pushing to expand financial assistance for ranchers who lose livestock in disasters. It opens the question. When does assistance become welfare.

Ted Cruz and Ronny Jackson push legislation to help ranchers who lost livestock in Panhandle wildfires

The Republican senator and congressman introduced a bill that would expand a federal aid program to pay ranchers when pregnant cattle are killed in disasters.

www.texastribune.org

It becomes welfare when it’s an indefinite paycheck and when the party receiving it is just lazy.

 

[candycorn]

Ted Cruz pushing to expand financial assistance for ranchers who lose livestock in disasters. It opens the question. When does assistance become welfare.

Ted Cruz and Ronny Jackson push legislation to help ranchers who lost livestock in Panhandle wildfires

The Republican senator and congressman introduced a bill that would expand a federal aid program to pay ranchers when pregnant cattle are killed in disasters.

www.texastribune.org

The ranchers lost it through no action of their own. This is a good idea. I doubt anyone would call it welfare. Of course had it not happened in Texas and happened in Wisconsin, Cruz would have been the first to call it “welfare”.

 

[DudleySmith]

Hemphill County stats

EWG's Farm Subsidy Database

EWG's Farm Subsidy Database put the issue on the map and is driving reform. Just ten percent of America's largest and richest farms collect almost three-fourths of federal farm subsidies; cash payments that often harm the environment.

farm.ewg.org

link to pdf

https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/AgCensus/2017/Online_Resources/County_Profiles/Texas/cp48211.pdf

Some $44 million from 1995 to 2021; the wildfire knocked out some $27 million alone, so I don't see a problem with Cruz lobbying for them. It's their job as elected Federal officials to represent constituent interests. If FEMA can bail out millionaires in California mudslides and east coast beach houses, they can help out Hemphill County. Not all of them own zillion acre spreads. They can moderate the subsidies to the lower end if they want to. If they don't, then snivel. That far out in the middle of nowhere everything is expensive, even water.

 

[InstantOn]

The ranchers could have insured their animals. When a local dairy farm lost cows due to a fire caused by a malfunctioning backup generator, they were insured for $1800 each. They were worth more, but the insurance was enough to help build a new barn and replace the cows.

 

[1srelluc]

Welfare in the strict sense no.....Grift for ranchers always looking for an angle to fleece the US treasury yes.

Livestock and Cattle Insurance

From dairy cows to beef cattle, your livestock are important investments that should be protected from loss and accidents. Learn more about livestock and cattle insurance options from American Family Insurance and request a quote today.

www.amfam.com

It shows coverage for fire but I don't know if that extends to unborn calfs or not.

That said a rancher can insure different cows for different amounts. So maybe insure the number of cows you are going to let reproduce in a season for more than the ones you plan on selling for slaughter.

 

[DudleySmith]

In any case, the big ranches are a little less than 40% of the total ranch acreage in Hemphill, so it's the little guys getting a break there. As the article says, it's the unborn cattle, i.e. the future herds. that are being subsidized for replacement. Insurance is not free, and depending on timing not always affordable to the small players, who according to the data handle over 60% of the production. The bigger players rely more on futures contracts, not insurance. The insurance is short term, and the prices change daily. It can get pretty expensive per head.

Livestock Report | RMA

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Risk Management Agency

www.rma.usda.gov

The crop insurance is already subsidized, Cruz and co, are merely asking for an emergency pool for the short term coverage. No big deal.

 

[Harpy Eagle]

Ted Cruz pushing to expand financial assistance for ranchers who lose livestock in disasters. It opens the question. When does assistance become welfare.

When it goes to a group you do not like.

 

[beautress]

Ted Cruz pushing to expand financial assistance for ranchers who lose livestock in disasters. It opens the question. When does assistance become welfare.

Ted Cruz and Ronny Jackson push legislation to help ranchers who lost livestock in Panhandle wildfires

The Republican senator and congressman introduced a bill that would expand a federal aid program to pay ranchers when pregnant cattle are killed in disasters.

www.texastribune.org

The woes of cattlemen in the Panhandle are not over. The fires left green fields burned to the ground. They now need seeds and water from the skies. They need to be supported by us or beef will be in short supply.

 

[Smokin' OP]

Ted Cruz Defends Vote Against Hurricane Sandy Aid​

Time Magazine
https://time.com › Politics › Texas
Aug 28, 2017 — Ted Cruz defended his 2013 vote against an aid package for Superstorm Sandy, facing accusations of hypocrisy amid Hurricane Harvey recovery.

 

[DudleySmith]

Ted Cruz Defends Vote Against Hurricane Sandy Aid​

View attachment 943643
Time Magazine
https://time.com › Politics › Texas
Aug 28, 2017 — Ted Cruz defended his 2013 vote against an aid package for Superstorm Sandy, facing accusations of hypocrisy amid Hurricane Harvey recovery.

The idiots in Hurricane Land get hit every year, and just keep rebuilding over an over and over again, then filing inflated claims. They were sniveling about higher insurance rates just a couple of months ago. Not remotely the same thing, but your inability to note distinctions is chronic.

 

[Smokin' OP]

The idiots in Hurricane Land get hit every year, and just keep rebuilding over an over and over again, then filing inflated claims. They were sniveling about higher insurance rates just a couple of months ago. Not remotely the same thing, but your inability to note distinctions is chronic.

YES, it is.
Texans are begging the US government.................again.

Texas flood damage tally underway to determine help from ...​

Houston Chronicle
https://www.houstonchronicle.com › Local
12 hours ago — Texas officials scramble to report flooded homes and log damage to unlock FEMA aid.

 

[DudleySmith]

YES, it is.
Texans are begging the US government.................again.

Texas flood damage tally underway to determine help from ...​

View attachment 943654
Houston Chronicle
https://www.houstonchronicle.com › Local
12 hours ago — Texas officials scramble to report flooded homes and log damage to unlock FEMA aid.

So you're going to claim Houston floods every year, and hurricanes don't hit Florida often? Okay, go with that, we expect stupid shit from Democrats. And, Houston is a blue city, but dumbasses like yourself can't really deal with anything that requires knowing stuff. lol

 

[Smokin' OP]

So you're going to claim Houston floods every year, and hurricanes don't hit Florida often?

No, dumbass.
Disasters strike Texas every year, tornadoes, floods, drought and hurricanes.

Okay, go with that, we expect stupid shit from Democrats.

Sure beats going with the hypocritical, stupid shit from teabaggers.

And, Houston is a blue city,

SO?

but dumbasses like yourself can't really deal with anything that requires knowing stuff. lol

Like your dear leader....................

 

[Dayton3]

that is an excellent question

i've thought about how we provide trailers and such after a hurricane, but people left homeless by slower moving disasters are left under the interstate.

"slower moving"?

When pushed by surface winds it isn't uncommon for a prairie fire to advance faster than a person can sprint

 

[rampart]

"slower moving"?

When pushed by surface winds it isn't uncommon for a prairie fire to advance faster than a person can sprint

on the other hand, a foreclosure crisis or toxic waste mitigation may take years or decades. the dust bowl itself did not happen overnight.

 

[Harpy Eagle]

Threads like this highlight why there can never be any real spending cuts...everyone says they are for them but nobody wants 'their" money to be cut.

The USDA, via NASS, put out that they were not going to do the Cattle Estimates survey in July or the County Estimates surveys this fall...and the uproar was instant and loud. Members of Congress are getting beat up by the Ag lobby. There is now talk that Congress will demand that the USDA do these surveys.

 

[Zincwarrior]

Threads like this highlight why there can never be any real spending cuts...everyone says they are for them but nobody wants 'their" money to be cut.

The USDA, via NASS, put out that they were not going to do the Cattle Estimates survey in July or the County Estimates surveys this fall...and the uproar was instant and loud. Members of Congress are getting beat up by the Ag lobby. There is now talk that Congress will demand that the USDA do these surveys.

Unless you tie their salary and benefits to a balanced budget - agreed.

 

[TNHarley]

Awww look. Another "conservative" redistributing the fruits of our labor.
Hey Mr. Ted "constitutional scholar" cruz, where in the constitution does it give the federal govt the power to do this?