Senator Feinstein Secures $20 million in Aid to
Victims of the Tri-Valley Growers Bankruptcy
October 6, 2000

Washington, DC -- In response to a request by U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), the Agriculture Appropriations Conference Report for FY 2001 provides $20 million to compensate growers of tomatoes, pears, peaches, and apricots who were unable to market their crops because of the bankruptcy of the agriculture cooperative Tri-Valley Growers.

“This assistance will go a long way to ease the suffering of growers who face staggering losses due to the bankruptcy,” Senator Feinstein said. “There are an estimated 14,000 acres of tomatoes that will plowed under or left to rot in the fields. This disaster relief will allow growers to recoup at least a portion of this loss.”

At the urging of Senator Feinstein and other members of the California delegation, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) made several efforts to aid growers through a series of emergency commodity purchases for federal food and nutrition programs. But more was needed.

“I am grateful for USDA’s attempts to mitigate the impact of this economic emergency,” said Feinstein. “It became clear to me however, that without direct financial assistance many California growers would face complete financial ruin.”

“The funds provided in this bill are not intended to bail out a failed agriculture cooperative. Instead, this assistance will go directly to the growers whose crops could not be sold through Tri-Valley Growers. Hundreds of thousands of tons of tomatoes, pears, peaches, and apricots remain on the ground or in the trees because Tri-Valley could not fulfill its contacts. As a result, many growers will lose millions of dollars and could be forced to give up farming permanently.”