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The recently passed Texas budget bill includes a low interest loan program for farmers.
The $100 million program aims to help farmers struggling with the financial strain brought on by natural disasters, tariffs, and other economic issues.
The funding came after months of pressure on lawmakers to help farmers struggling with everything from historic drought and wildfires to supply chain issues, according to State Sen. Roland Gutierrez, a San Antonio Democrat whose district also includes parts of rural south and West Texas.
"Our farmers are facing some of the toughest conditions in decades — from historic droughts to supply chain chaos," Gutierrez said in a statement from his office. "This funding is about survival. It's about keeping Texas agriculture alive and protecting the people who fuel our state."
Gutierrez said lawmakers also continued funding for a farmer suicide prevention hotline. Texas farmers die by suicide more than three times the national average. The number for that hotline is 833-897-2474.
"It's hard enough to access a physician in rural areas, let alone a therapist," he added in his statement. "We must fund lifelines like loan programs and the farmer suicide hotline. Our rural communities must know that someone is here, and they care."
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