disaster relief

Agriculture losses from Helene are significant, says Vilsack

The USDA will work with farmers and rural communities to help them recover from “significant” losses caused by Hurricane Helene, said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on Thursday. As an example, he said, “We’re working with crop insurance companies now to expedite payments so farmers will receive help in November, if not sooner.”

Senate Wildfire Caucus holds inaugural meeting

Senators from Arkansas, California, Colorado, and Montana held their first meeting on Tuesday as members of the bipartisan Senate Wildfire Caucus as advocates of disaster relief funding, wildfire prevention, and science-based fire management policies. Wildfires have burned an average of 6.4 million acres, or 1,000 square miles, of land over the past five years.

NFU: Address climate change, create permanent disaster program in farm bill

Congress should give farm-state lawmakers additional funding for writing the new farm bill, said the National Farmers Union, the second-largest U.S. farm group, following its annual meeting. The NFU said the 2023 farm bill should address climate change through such steps as crop insurance discounts for farmers who plant cover crops or employ other practices that increase resiliency or decrease risk.

Crop farmers to see $6 billion in disaster aid — USDA

Beginning later this month, farmers across the nation will receive around $6 billion in disaster relief for losses due to catastrophic weather and wildfires, said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on Monday. The money, part of $10 billion earmarked for agricultural disasters, would be paid through the new Emergency Relief Program (ERP) to offset lower yields and value losses, said the Agriculture Department.

USDA unveils disaster aid for livestock producers

Livestock producers will receive at least $577 million in disaster payments to offset forage losses due to severe drought or wildfires last year, said the Agriculture Department on Thursday.

Waive fertilizer dumping duties, corn farmers ask

U.S. companies should give farmers a break by withdrawing their petitions for anti-dumping duties on imported fertilizer, said a corn farmer group at a House hearing on Tuesday that was dominated by reports of rising crop production costs. Farm groups generally called for higher price supports in the upcoming 2023 farm bill, with rice, soybean and cotton growers saying the $125,000-a-person annual limit on crop subsidies was too low.

Up to 20 million pounds of food for Louisiana

Food banks in Louisiana will receive up to 800,000 packages of shelf-stable food for distribution this month to people in areas struck by Hurricane Ida, said the USDA on Thursday.

USDA adds 101 counties to drought disaster list

In its largest set of declarations since mid-May, the USDA designated 101 counties in the Midwest and West as natural disaster areas due to drought. The designations make farmers and ranchers eligible for USDA emergency loans.

Crop insurance should be a starting point for 2023 farm bill, say farmers

Farmers from Georgia to California told a House Agriculture subcommittee on Wednesday that the foundation of the 2023 farm bill should be the taxpayer-subsidized crop insurance system. They also expressed interest in the creation of a standby disaster relief fund.

USDA plans its single biggest seafood purchase

The USDA said Thursday it would buy $159.4 million worth of U.S.-produced seafood, nuts, fruits, and vegetables for its public nutrition programs, including donations to charity. The deal includes the agency's single largest purchase of seafood ever.

Government funding bill has $1.5 billion for ag disaster relief

The House will vote as early as Tuesday on a mammoth government funding bill that allots an additional $1.5 billion for disaster relief for agriculture and rejects the 25 percent cut in SNAP benefits proposed by President Trump. The disaster funding is a 50 percent increase from $3.1 billion appropriated in June to help producers hit by hurricanes, wildfires, volcanoes, freezes and floods.

USDA, doubling pay limit, offers growers up to $500,000 in disaster aid

Farmers are eligible for up to $500,000 apiece for the hurricanes, wildfires, floods and other disasters they faced in 2018 and this year, including Hurricane Dorian last weekend, said the USDA on Monday, with $3 billion in aid available. As it did in July for Trump tariff payments, the USDA set the maximum disaster payment at double the Congressional limit for farm subsidies.

Trump signs disaster bill with $3 billion for agriculture

A smiling President Trump announced enactment of the $19.1 billion disaster bill that includes $3 billion for agricultural relief on Thursday. Delayed for months by White House efforts to limit aid to Puerto Rico, the disaster package empowers Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to allot the …

House passes disaster bill by large margin on fourth attempt

The long-delayed, $19.1-billion disaster bill is on its way to the White House for President Trump’s signature. The House passed the bill, which includes $3 billion in agricultural aid, 354-58.

Anti-deficit lawmaker blocks House action on disaster bill

First-term Rep. John Rose, declaring it was “absolutely, without a doubt, wrong” to pass a $19.1-billion disaster relief bill without a roll call vote, blocked House action on Thursday on the legislation, which includes $3 billion for agricultural aid.

Republicans block House passage of disaster bill for second time

For the second time in four days, a conservative Republican prevented House passage on Tuesday of the long-delayed $19.1 billion disaster bill that includes $3 billion for agricultural relief. The next opportunity to act on the bill will be Thursday, when the House meets again in a lightly …

Disaster bill sidetracked in Senate in fight over Puerto Rico aid

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell shelved, at least for the moment, a $14-billion disaster aid bill on Monday after Democrats and Republicans took turns threatening a filibuster over aid to Puerto Rico.

Disaster bill faces procedural hurdle on Monday

The Senate delayed debate on a $13.5-billion disaster assistance bill, which includes flood relief for the western Farm Belt, until next week, with a procedural vote on Monday to determine if the bill will advance.

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