Nov 1, 2023

USDA offers more than $3 billion for 2022 specialty crop damage

The USDA will provide more than $3 billion to commodity and specialty crop producers affected by natural disaster events in 2022.

Eligible impacted producers can apply for financial assistance through the Emergency Relief Program (ERP) 2022. The program will help offset the financial impacts of crop yield and value losses from qualifying disasters occurring in 2022.“2022 was another year of weather-related challenges — for some, the third consecutive year or more in a row,” Zach Ducheneaux, USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) administrator, said in a news release. “The financial impact to a family farm or ranch in one year is significant but the cumulative impact of multiple years can be devastating.

Ducheneaux said FSA is committed to improving delivery of emergency relief assistance, and the agency has refined the relief fund’s delivery process.

“Instead of two separate program phases, we will now run two tracks concurrently increasing our efficiencies in application and payment processing while ensuring equitable program delivery,” he said in the release. “We also listened to important input from producers and stakeholders and have enhanced ERP 2022 provisions to ensure shallow loss impacts on revenue are considered.” 

Background 

On Dec. 29, 2022, President Biden signed into law the Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, which provides about $3.7 billion in financial assistance for agricultural producers impacted by eligible natural disasters that occurred in calendar year 2022.  

ERP 2022 covers losses to crops, trees, bushes and vines due to qualifying, calendar year 2022 natural disaster events including wildfires, hurricanes, floods, derechos, excessive heat, tornadoes, winter storms, freeze (including a polar vortex), smoke exposure, excessive moisture, qualifying drought and related conditions.  

Top photo courtesy of USDA.