Jackson Free Press

Today, Rep. Travis Childers, representing Mississippi's first Congressional district, will lead a crop disaster tour throughout his district in the company of U.S. Department of Agriculture Deputy Under Secretary Michael Scuse. The tour will provide the agency first-hand information about the severe crop loss suffered to Mississippi farmers in the wake of heavy rains earlier in the fall, according to a release.

In November, the federal government granted 79 of Mississippi's 82 counties—including all 24 counties in the First District –primary disaster designations. These designations followed letters sent by Childers urging the USDA and Mississippi to act quickly to provide assistance.

Last week, Childers joined Rep. Marion Berry from Arkansas to introduce legislation to provide timely disaster assistance. The legislation includes direct payment assistance to program crops, $650 million in state grants to assist specialty crop producers, and $150 million in assistance for livestock producers. Companion legislation has already been introduced in the Senate.

Childers will be in Verona, Vardaman and Batesville today.