Newsline for May 26-29, 2000

I'M BOB ELLISON. WE HAVE TWO REPORTS FOR THE LONG HOLIDAY WEEKEND. THE FIRST REPORT RUNS 1:10.

HERE IS A SUGGESTED LEAD FOR OUR FIRST REPORT: FARMERS WELCOME FIFTEEN BILLION DOLLARS IN FEDERAL ASSISTANCE. BOB ELLISON HAS MORE.

ACTUALITIES COME FROM TEXAS SENATOR KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON AND AMERICAN FARM BUREAU GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS SPECIALIST MARY KAY THATCHER.

THERE ARE TWO EXTRA ACTUALITIES FOLLOWING THE STORY. IN THE FIRST EXTRA ACTUALITY, THATCHER SAYS THE CROP INSURANCE PORTION OF THE FARM ASSISTANCE PACKAGE HELPS ALLEVIATE THE HIGH COST OF CROP INSURANCE. IN THE SECOND EXTRA ACTUALITY, HUTCHISON SAYS FARMERS WILL COME TO RELY LESS ON FEDERAL AID AND MORE ON OPEN FOREIGN MARKETS.

STAND BY, THE STORY COMES FIRST IN 3...2...1...

(ELLISON) WITH ANOTHER YEAR OF LOW COMMODITY PRICES LOOMING, FARMERS HOPE A FIFTEEN BILLION DOLLAR FEDERAL ASSISTANCE PACKAGE WILL HELP THEM MAKE IT THROUGH ANOTHER SEASON. THE AMERICAN FARM BUREAU'S MARY KAY THATCHER SAYS FARMERS HAVE NOT FOUND RELIEF IN THE MARKET.

(THATCHER) THE THIRD YEAR THAT FARMERS HAVE HAD POOR PRICES, AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK WHEN WE DRAFTED FREEDOM TO FARM WE THOUGHT IF PRICES WERE LOW IN ONE COMMODITY THEN THE MARKET WOULD SEND FARMERS A SIGNAL "GO SOMEWHERE ELSE." BUT WHEN PRICES ARE LOW IN ALL OF THE MAJOR COMMODITIES, THERE'S REALLY NOT ANYWHERE ELSE TO HEAD.

(ELLISON) EIGHT POINT TWO BILLION DOLLARS OF THE AID PACKAGE WILL GO TOWARD REDUCING CROP INSURANCE PREMIUMS. THATCHER SAYS THAT SHOULD MAKE FARMERS LESS RELIANT ON FUTURE FEDERAL AID.

(THATCHER) SO WE HOPE THROUGH THESE ADDITIONAL PREMIUM SUBSIDIES, MORE FARMERS WILL BE ABLE TO BUY THAT LEVEL OF COVERAGE AND WILL BE COVERED AND WE WON'T HAVE TO DO AD HOC DISASTER ASSISTANCE EVERY YEAR.

(ELLISON) TEXAS REPUBLICAN SENATOR KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON VOTED FOR THE BILL AND SAYS OPENING FOREIGN MARKETS SHOULD HELP FARMERS. BUT HUTCHISON SAYS UNTIL THAT HAPPENS FARMERS CANNOT BE ABANDONED.

(HUTCHISON) WE'VE GOT TO CONTINUE TO GIVE THESE TRANSITION PAYMENTS SO THAT EVENTUALLY WE CAN HOPEFULLY HAVE STABILITY FOR OUR FARMERS AND HOPEFULLY OPEN OUR MARKETS.

(ELLISON) THE FARM ASSISTANCE PACKAGE NOW GOES TO THE PRESIDENT FOR HIS SIGNATURE.

BOB ELLISON, WASHINGTON.

STAND BY FOR THE FIRST EXTRA ACTUALITY. THE CUT RUNS ELEVEN SECONDS, IN 3...2...1...

(THATCHER) NOW FARMERS JUST CAN'T REALLY AFFORD TO BUY THOSE HIGHER LEVELS OF COVERAGE. THE VAST MAJORITY OF PEOPLE HAVE TO BUY SIXTY-FIVE-A-HUNDRED COVERAGE, WHICH MEANS YOU HAVE TO SUFFER A THIRTY FIVE PERCENT LOSS ON YOUR FARM BEFORE YOU GET ANY ASSISTANCE AT ALL.

(ELLISON) STAND BY FOR THE SECOND EXTRA ACTUALITY. THE CUT RUNS NINE SECONDS, IN 3...2...1...

(HUTCHISON) BUT UNTIL WE CAN GET FAIR TRADE FROM EUROPE AND CHINA AND OTHER POTENTIAL BUYERS, WE CAN'T HOLD UP OUR FARMERS.

(ELLISON) NOW STAND BY FOR OUR SECOND STORY, WHICH RUNS 1:07.

HERE IS A SUGGESTED LEAD FOR OUR SECOND REPORT: AFTER A SLIGHT DELAY, AN AMENDMENT TO LIFT SANCTIONS ON CUBA APPEARS TO BE BACK ON TRACK.

BOB ELLISON HAS MORE.

ACTUALITIES COME FROM AMERICAN FARM BUREAU GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS SPECIALIST ALEX JACKSON.

WE HAVE TWO EXTRA ACTUALITIES FOLLOWING THE REPORT. IN THE FIRST EXTRA ACTUALITY, JACKSON SAYS THE MOMENTUM SEEMS TO BE BEHIND REPRESENTATIVE GEORGE NETHERCUTT'S AMENDMENT TO LIFT SANCTIONS ON CUBA. IN THE SECOND EXTRA ACTUALITY, JACKSON SAYS FARMERS AND RANCHERS NEED TO GET BEHIND THE NETHERCUTT AMENDMENT.

STAND BY, THE STORY BEGINS IN 3...2...1...

(ELLISON) THERE SHOULD BE A VOTE ON AN AMENDMENT TO LIFT SANCTIONS ON CUBA AND FOUR OTHER COUNTRIES WHEN THE HOUSE COMES BACK FROM THE MEMORIAL DAY RECESS. HOUSE LEADERSHIP BALKED AT THE AMENDMENT FROM WASHINGTON REPUBLICAN GEORGE NETHERCUTT, BUT THE AMERICAN FARM BUREAU'S ALEX JACKSON SAYS IT'S BACK ON TRACK.

(JACKSON) THEY'RE NOT BALKING ON THE CUBA THING ANYMORE. REPRESENTATIVE NETHERCUTT HAS STATED THAT TAKING CUBA OUT OF THAT LIST OF EXEMPTED COUNTRIES IS NO LONGER AN OPTION.

(ELLISON) JACKSON SAYS HOUSE LEADERSHIP SEEMS TO RECOGNIZE THAT THEY CANNOT STOP A VOTE ON THE AMENDMENT.

(JACKSON) AND I THINK MOMENTUM IS CLEARLY ON OUR SIDE, AND I CERTAINLY DON'T THINK THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE THE VOTES WHEN THEY COME BACK IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS.

(ELLISON) JACKSON SAYS AMERICAN FARMERS CANNOT BE CUT OFF FROM POTENTIALLY LUCRATIVE MARKETS AND STILL HOPE TO COMPETE INTERNATIONALLY.

(JACKSON) WE CAN'T DISENGAGE OURSELVES FROM THE WORLD. WE VITALLY NEED THOSE EXPORT MARKETS AND THE BOTTOM LINE IS UNILATERAL SANCTIONS DON'T WORK IN THE FIRST PLACE, SO WHY DO HAVE THEM.

(ELLISON) THE NETHERCUTT AMENDMENT TO THE AGRICULTURAL APPROPRIATIONS BILL WOULD ALSO LIFT SANCTIONS ON IRAN, LIBYA, SUDAN AND NORTH KOREA AS WELL AS CUBA.

BOB ELLISON, WASHINGTON.

STAND BY FOR THE FIRST EXTRA ACTUALITY, WHICH RUNS TEN SECONDS IN 3...2...1...

(JACKSON) SO WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A VOTE, HOPEFULLY A SUCCESSFUL VOTE, ON REMOVING FOOD AND MEDICINE SALES TO THOSE FIVE COUNTRIES.

(ELLISON) STAND BY FOR THE SECOND EXTRA ACTUALITY, WHICH RUNS FIFTEEN SECONDS IN 3...2...1...

(JACKSON) WE NEED TO HAVE ALL FARMERS AND RANCHERS, ANYONE INVOLVED IN AGRICULTURE, CONTACT BOTH THEIR SENATE REPRESENTATIVE AND THEIR CONGRESSIONAL MEMBER AND STATE TO SUPPORT THE NETHERCUTT AMENDMENT.

(ELLISON) THE FARM BUREAU RADIO NEWSLINE WILL BE UPDATED WEDNESDAY AT 5 P.M. EASTERN TIME. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING.