MILLER CITY, Ill. -- Once the flood disaster bill passes Congress, checks can be in farmers' hands within two weeks.

That's the promise that U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Espy is making during his latest round of flood-area inspections along the upper Mississippi River.

"We care," he told a group of agriculture and community leaders near here Saturday. "This is my ~sixth trip to the upper Midwest and what we're seeing is a tragedy. We're going to cut the red tape and get some financial help to farmers and flood victims."

Espy, who was named long-term flood relief coordinator by President Bill Clinton more than a week ago, toured the Miller City area by boat Saturday afternoon and later met with farmers, community leaders and officials during a special session at Shawnee Community College Saturday night.

He was scheduled to have breakfast with more farmers at Olive Branch this morning before taking a helicopter tour of the area at 9 a.m.

"We thought the disaster bill would pass Friday," Espy told the group Saturday afternoon. "But, it ran into some problems and was delayed until next week. We expect the bill to pass Congress early in the week."

Espy said there are funds available to farmers. "We'll be looking at grants, and we'll be looking at some low-interest loans," he said. "On a proportion bases, farmers can expect about 50 cents on the dollar."

Prior to meeting with more than 50 farmers at what is call Cache River Diversion, at the intersection of Route 3 and Miller City blacktop, Congressman Jerry Costello (D-12th District, which includes most of Western Illinois from Alton south to Cairo) briefed Espy quickly on flooding in his district.

"We have 38,000 acres of farmland under water in Alexander County alone," said Costello. "There's another 24,000 acres which have suffered damages."

Costello added that a total of 100,000 acres are under water throughout his district.

Costello, like Espy, expects quick passage of the disaster funding bill this week.

Larry Smith and Ken Willis, two farmers who watched hundreds of acres of their farm land flood when an earthen levee along the Mississippi River south of Miller City broke on July 15, cited needs for disaster funding.

The levee broke with the flood-swollen Mississippi waters pouring through a gap about 100 feet wide, which widened to about 300 feet within a couple of hours.

Smith, of the Miller City area, said he had 2,000 acres under water, and that all but about 200 acres of it had been planted.

"Our cost for planting ranges from $100 to $175 per acre," said Smith. "We borrowed money to put in our crop. We've lost that. Now, if the bank wants to call its loan, we're sunk. We can use any kind of help. It'll take 10 years to get back to where we were."

Willis farms about 1,800 acres.

"Right now, I'm concerned about our home," he said. "It's on higher ground. We're hopeful it won't go under too."

Willis said most farmers would be satisfied with 50 cents on dollar. "It certainly beats nothing," he said.

Espy is in the area at the request of the Lower Five Counties Democrat Coalition, a group which formed this spring by Democratic chairmen of Alexander, Pulaski, Union, Johnson and Massac counties.

The purpose of the coalition is to elect Democrat candidates in the lower five counties of Illinois, said Lamar Houston, a member of the coalition.

"We feel fortunate to have Espy visit our area," said Houston.

Espy is the 25th U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. Prior to being appointed to the post in January of this year, he represented the second district of Mississippi in the U.S. House.

Espy, a native of Yazoo City, was first elected to the House in 1986, where he served on the Agriculture and Budget Committees. He was chairman of the domestic Hunger Task Force, the Lower Mississippi Delta Caucus, and the National Resources, Community and Economic Development Task Force of the House Budget Committee.