Vasquez urges Congress to pass $5 billion crop disaster aid bill after southern New Mexico floods
Rep. Gabe Vasquez is urging Congress to pass his $5 billion CHILE Act after flooding damaged farms and crops in Doña Ana County.
The Las Cruces congressman says recent flooding threatens chile growers and other specialty crop farmers already struggling with drought, rising costs and crop disease
Damien Willis, Organ Mountain News
LAS CRUCES - U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez is urging Congress to approve $5 billion in disaster assistance for farmers nationwide after late September flooding destroyed crops and damaged irrigation systems across southern New Mexico.
Vasquez, D-N.M., sent a letter to House leaders Thursday, Oct. 22, calling for immediate passage of his CHILE Act, which would provide federal assistance to farmers who grow chile, onions, pecans and other specialty crops.
The proposal would provide direct federal aid and establish clearer rules for helping specialty crop farmers recover from disasters.
The $5 billion would be available to eligible growers across the country, not just in New Mexico.
Flooding adds to farmers' struggles
Flooding in late September swept mud and debris across southern New Mexico farmland, destroying crops, damaging irrigation systems and disrupting planting schedules, according to Vasquez's letter.
Some Hatch chile farmers risk losing their entire harvest, while others have lost critical infrastructure, including dams and wells, he wrote.
The damage came as growers were already struggling with drought, extreme heat, crop disease, shrinking markets and rising costs for fertilizer, diesel and other supplies.
Vasquez warned that the losses extend beyond individual farms.
“In New Mexico, these growers are the backbone of our agricultural communities, supporting generations of family farms and businesses,” he wrote. “When these farmers lose their crops, the impacts ripple through the entire food supply chain, hurting farmworkers, local businesses, and families who depend on a reliable supply of American-grown food.”
On Oct. 4, Vasquez visited flood-damaged areas in Doña Ana County, including Hatch and the McLeod/Garfield Dam area, to assess conditions and speak with residents and farmers.
What the CHILE Act would do
Vasquez introduced the CHILE Act to address what he describes as a gap in federal disaster assistance.
In his letter, Vasquez said the U.S. Department of Agriculture does not have a dedicated disaster assistance plan specifically for specialty crop farmers.
The CHILE Act would provide $5 billion in direct assistance nationwide.
It would also require USDA to use a set of rules called the Specialty Crop Emergency Assistance Framework when providing that aid. The bill would clarify which crops qualify for assistance.
Specialty crops include fruits, vegetables, tree nuts and other crops, including New Mexico's chile, onions and pecans.
The proposal has support from the New Mexico Chile Association and Western Growers Association.
U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M., has introduced companion legislation in the Senate.
Damien Willis
Vasquez presses House leaders for action
Vasquez addressed his Oct. 22 letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn Thompson and the committee's ranking Democrat, Angie Craig.
He urged them to bring the bill forward for a vote, arguing that farmers cannot afford further delays.
“Without meaningful federal assistance, we risk losing family farms, weakening domestic food production, and becoming more dependent on foreign growers,” Vasquez wrote.
The CHILE Act remains a proposal. Congress would have to pass the legislation before the funding could become available.
For southern New Mexico farmers facing damage to crops, irrigation systems and other equipment, the question is whether federal assistance will arrive in time to help them recover.
Damien Willis is founder and editor of Organ Mountain News. If you have a personal story to share or a lead we should follow up on, reach out at OrganMountainNews@gmail.com or connect with him on X at @damienwillis.
