By Jennifer Whitlock
Field Editor
A recent stopgap bill funding the federal government through December also contained an expansion of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) disaster assistance programs, including the Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program Plus (WHIP+).
On Sept. 30, President Joe Biden signed the legislation, which retroactively extended WHIP+, the On-Farm Storage Loss Program, Milk Loss Program and Tree Assistance Program through 2020 and 2021.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack was appropriated $10 billion for these programs to help farmers and ranchers affected by natural disasters. This amount surpasses uncovered crop loss estimates analyzed by the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF).
In a recent Market Intel column, AFBF Associate Economist Daniel Munch said this funding is vital to farm stability and ensuring a safe and secure domestic food supply.
“2020 brought 22 separate billion-dollar weather events to the doorsteps of farmers and ranchers nationwide,” he wrote. “With severe drought, fast-spreading wildfires, ice storms and hurricanes, 2021 is likely to rival its predecessor in economic impacts to agriculture.”
Originally, WHIP+ was only available to farmers and ranchers in the counties that received qualifying presidential emergency or USDA secretarial disaster declarations due to qualifying events and related conditions. Derechos, severe drought (D2) as categorized by the U.S. Drought Monitor, smoke taint in vineyards and hailstorms were not explicitly listed as qualifying weather disasters.
Now, derechos, winter storms, polar vortexes, freeze, smoke exposure and crop quality losses are covered under WHIP+.
Losses from drought are now eligible if the drought is categorized as D2 for eight consecutive weeks or extreme drought (D3) or higher at any time during the calendar year. The bill also restated losses due to previously covered conditions—such as excessive heat, excessive moisture, hurricanes and wildfires—continue to qualify for assistance.
The legislation specified $750 million was set aside for livestock losses related to drought and wildfires during 2021.
“We’re thankful Congress saw the need to extend these programs through last year and this year,” Texas Farm Bureau National Legislative Director Laramie Adams said. “In February, Texans experienced the worst winter storm in recent memory, and our farmers and ranchers suffered some historic losses at that time. We also have had farmers and ranchers impacted by hurricanes and flooding on more than one occasion. Additionally, producers have experienced drought in certain regions of the state. We appreciate our lawmakers making sure all types of natural disasters were included in WHIP+.”
Information on applying for additional WHIP+ funds will be released by USDA later this year.