Band-Aid

先生が書かれていたように（http://d.hatena.ne.jp/A30/20120726/1343293632）、米国では約50年ぶりとなる大規模な干ばつが問題となっています。うちミズーリ-州では農作物をはじめ，酪農家は生計を立てるため，乳牛をオークションに出さざるを得ない状況に追いやられています。以下，CNN.com（2012/08/25付）の記事より抜粋。

They're in the rare position of needing to ask for help.

And they're not necessarily getting it.

The Obama administration earlier this month announced emergency drought assistance that included low-interest emergency loans; a federal buy-up of meat from livestock producers; and the opening up of some protected lands for livestock grazing.

None of those efforts are targeted at dairy farmers, however, dairy advocates say.

Missouri's governor, meanwhile, created a cost-share program to help farmers get access to water for their cattle, but McCallister said that's more of a Band-Aid than a real solution.

Michael Scuse, under secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, said dairy farmers have not been offered enough of a safety net because Congress has not finalized an omnibus piece of legislation called the Farm Bill.

"Had we had a Farm Bill passed by now, there's a very good chance we could offer some additional assistance" to dairy farmers who are struggling because of the drought, he said.

今回の表現はBand-Aidです。「バンドエイド」は“ガーゼつき絆創膏”として私たち日本人にもなじみがある言葉ですが，英語本来の意味は「（悪い意味で）応急策〔対処〕」を表します（『ジーニアス英和辞典』第4版，大修館書店）。この件に関してミズーリ州は，家畜への水供給の経費軽減策などの対策を打ちだしてはいますが，これは干ばつ問題の根本的な解決策ではなく，あくまで「その場しのぎの」、「とりあえずの」というニュアンスは隠せないのが現状です。
自然の力に逆らうことは出来ませんが，米政府としても何らかの新たな対策が求められます。（GP）

http://edition.cnn.com/2012/08/24/us/drought-missouri-dairy-farmers/index.html