Disaster bill coming

Joel Nelsen of California Citrus Mutual reports that a specialty crop disaster assistance bill will be introduced this afternoon by Sen Barbara Box and others.

The bill reportedly will include:
$100 million for specialty crop losses in 2005
$400 million for specialty crops hurt by heat related losses in 2006
$420 million for the citrus industry for damage from the January freeze
$438 million for other specialty crops hurt by the January freeze
$230 million for dairy producers from for losses from the 2006 heat
Assistance for the unemployed and tree assistance program

That is certainly a substantial package and to even net half of that would be a coup for California specialty crop interests.