Farm group wants disaster plan in new farm law

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The new U.S. farm law should include a fully funded disaster-relief program for farmers and ranchers, said the National Farmers Union on Thursday.

Leaders of the House and Senate Agriculture committees tentatively allotted $2.24 billion for a disaster fund earlier this week. The figure is half of what was proposed by the Senate last December.

NFU President Tom Buis said in a statement the leaders failed to provide "the necessary resources for a meaningful weather-related disaster program.

"A lack of a disaster program is the single biggest hole in the safety net," said Buis.

An aide to Senate Agriculture Committee chairman Tom Harkin, Iowa Democrat, said leaders were aware of strong interest in a disaster program and hoped to find more money for it without hurting other vital programs.

Two conservation groups, the Izaak Walton League of America and the Minnesota Project, applauded a proposal by the House and Senate agriculture leaders to increase land stewardship funding by $5 billion over 10 years.

(Reporting by Charles Abbott; Editing by Christian Wiessner)