A group of congressmembers has introduced the Agricultural Emergency Relief Act to create a permanent program at USDA to provide relief for farmers who lost their crops due to natural disasters.
“While Congress routinely provides relief for farmers impacted by natural disasters, the lack of a permanent program has resulted in multiple administrative changes, which can cause unnecessary delays in implementation and confusion for farmers,” a news release stated.
Eligible disasters would include drought, wildfires, floods, hurricanes, excessive heat or moisture, among others. Farmers who apply for relief payments would be required to purchase crop insurance for two years after receiving a payment. Payment calculations would be based on indemnities reported to USDA or on losses in revenue.
“By permanently authorizing the Emergency Relief Program, this bill would bolster the safety net for the people that produce our food and improve farmers’ resiliency against the climate crisis,” said Sen. Alex Padilla (CA-D), a cosponsor of the bill.
