USDA Rolls Out New Emergency Relief Program

The USDA says they've rolled out a new emergency relief program intended to help commodity and specialty crop producers impacted by natural disasters in 2020 and 2021.

"We anticipate and expect that roughly 220,000 producers who had crop insurance losses and roughly 4000 producers who had nap coverage may benefit from this relief announcement."

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said approximately $6 billion of emergency relief payments will be available through ERP.

"Producers will receive pre-filled applications with most of the information necessary for them to apply for resources under this program"

With applications to be sent as soon as possible to local farm service agency offices. Vilsack adds this is the 1st traunch of payment scheduled within the new program. With a second round of payments for crop and livestock producers set for later this summer.

If you have a story idea for the PNW Ag Network, call (509) 547-1618, or e-mail gvaagen@cherrycreekmedia.com