WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Thom Tillis recently sent a letter urging U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins to work with Congress to quickly distribute the more than $23 billion Congress passed in December to assist farmers, ranchers and rural Americans in responding to devastating natural disasters in 2023 and 2024. In the letter with Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), the Senators note that the assistance is sorely needed as farmers and ranchers across the country struggle to address the fallout of several billion-dollar natural disasters.
“These funds will benefit producers in every State—the natural disasters that struck farms and ranches in 2023 and 2024 affected a wide range of crops, livestock, and on-farm infrastructure,” the senators wrote. “In North Carolina, Hurricane Helene is estimated to have caused almost $5 billion in agricultural losses, and in New Hampshire, a disastrous freeze in 2023 damaged apple and peach trees, as well as other crops, with growers seeing as high as 100 percent crop losses for the year.”
“As you know, this program is intended to serve both producers with and without crop insurance, and reach small, diversified operations,” the senators continued. “The supplemental provides targeted funds for small farm states, and it also specifically directs the Secretary to offer technical assistance to interested non-insured producers to help them apply for funding made available.”
“As the Department implements all of the disaster assistance programs, we stand ready to assist you in this effort to advance our shared priority of helping farmers and rural communities recover and thrive,” the senators concluded. “Thank you for your attention to this matter.”
This letter follows a bipartisan, bicameral letter sent on March 10th to Secretary Rollins, urging the immediate distribution of $23 billion in aid Congress passed in December for farmers, ranchers, and rural communities.
Read the full letter HERE.
