The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced that it will be issuing more than $1.75 billion in emergency relief payments to farmers and livestock producers in the United States. These payments are aimed at helping farming and ranching operations recover from the natural disasters that have occurred in 2020, 2021, and 2022.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack stated that the payments are crucial in providing economic support to farmers and ranchers who have faced significant financial losses due to devastating natural disasters. The payments are intended to offset the losses that these producers have experienced and are seen as a valuable investment in the agricultural industry and the nation’s food security.
The USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) has already begun issuing over $581 million in drought and wildfire emergency relief payments to eligible ranchers for the years 2021 and 2022. The Emergency Livestock Relief Program (ELRP) Phase Two payments will automatically be provided to ranchers who have already received assistance through Phase One. Additionally, ranchers who have suffered losses in 2022 due to drought and wildfire will receive ELRP disaster assistance payments for increases in supplemental feed costs.
In addition to the livestock relief program, the USDA is also closing out Phase Two of the Emergency Relief Program (ERP) by delivering more than $1.17 billion in crop disaster assistance payments to farmers who have suffered losses in 2020 and 2021 due to qualifying natural disasters. These payments are primarily intended for producers of crops that were not covered by federal crop insurance or FSA’s Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program.
The USDA’s relief programs are part of a wide range of commodity, conservation, credit, disaster recovery, and safety-net programs aimed at supporting farmers and ranchers. By the end of the fiscal year, the USDA will have invested over $19 billion in agricultural producers and will continue to provide economic support in the coming years.
For more information on the available programs, farmers and ranchers are encouraged to contact their local USDA Service Center. The USDA remains committed to supporting the agricultural industry and ensuring the economic success of rural and urban communities and the nation’s food security for future generations.
