Mike Johanns Hurricane Quotations

I am encouraged by the resumption of grain movement along the Mississippi River just one week after grain transportation was virtually halted by Hurricane Katrina, ... Clearly, there is much work to be done but I am confident that remaining obstacles will be overcome to resume all activity in a timely manner. We are assuring our international customers that we expect minimal disruptions.

Gil Gonzalez and Jim Little will bring their in-depth knowledge and experience in community development and agriculture to the important role of coordinating USDA Hurricane response and recovery efforts in the region, ... I have great confidence in this senior team to work with all of our federal, state and local partners. USDA is delivering all the assistance possible to help displaced residents along the Gulf coast.

We are doing everything we can to help our Gulf Coast producers recover from the affects of Hurricane Katrina, ... The assistance announced today is an important component of USDA's efforts and our commitment to help farmers and ranchers rebuild their operations.

This report will provide the first USDA assessment of the effects of Hurricane Katrina on our farmers and ranchers, ... While it will take some time to determine the full impact of both the hurricane and drought, this report will give us some insight into the extent of the damage.

There has been $150 million to $200 million put into the hurricane recovery effort already,

This funding will purchase emergency response vehicles, radio gear, warning sirens, improve public safety facilities and upgrade communications systems, ... While these requests were submitted and approved before hurricane Katrina struck, these funds will contribute to rebuilding efforts and to the long-term commitment of the Bush Administration to prepare our nation to respond to emergencies of any kind.

I'm pleased that USDA can offer assistance to farmers and ranchers who have sustained losses from Hurricane Katrina, ... This agriculture disaster designation will enable eligible producers to apply for low-interest emergency loans from USDA to help cover their losses. This announcement is a part of our commitment to help farmers and ranchers to rebuild their operations.