As farming communities across the country recover from recent natural disasters, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), along with Representatives Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.-19), Kat Cammack (R-Fla.-03), Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.-18), and Austin Scott (R-Ga.-08), announced bipartisan, bicameral legislation to improve access to federal agriculture disaster programs.
The coalition explained in a joint news release, “Currently, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits payments to growers with combined farm and nonfarm adjusted gross income (AGI) above $900,000, which excludes the vast majority of specialty crop growers, such as those growing strawberries in California or apples in North Carolina, from receiving critical disaster relief. The Fair Access to Agriculture Disaster Programs Act would waive the AGI restriction on producers who get 75 percent of their income from farming, ranching, or related farming practices, ensuring producers can access key disaster relief programs.”
The legislation comes as the Agriculture Department prepares to deliver $21 billion in agricultural disaster assistance that Congress passed in December for producers impacted by natural disasters in 2023 and 2024.
“From wildfires and drought damaging our farmland to storms flooding our fields, growing conditions for farmers in California and across the country are facing unprecedented impacts from natural disasters,” said Senator Padilla. “As we approach the Farm Bill expiration later this year, hundreds of thousands of farmers — including growers devastated by the 2023 Tropical Storm Hilary floods — are still counting on us to make things right. Our bipartisan, bicameral legislation would even the playing field for specialty crop growers hoping to access critical federal agriculture disaster programs.”
“Barriers to assistance programs for our farmers and ranchers can hold back the recovery of rural economies after natural disasters,” said Representative Panetta. “This bipartisan legislation would ensure that producers who depend on agriculture for their livelihoods can access the resources they need to not only get by during times crisis but also to rebuild stronger. This is a commonsense solution that will strengthen our agricultural safety net and the agriculture of our country.”
“Our farmers, ranchers, and producers work hard every day to feed and clothe our nation. When disaster strikes, they should be able to access the important programs designed to protect them,” said Representative Cammack. “The AGI limitations set years ago have denied access for producers who truly need it, and the exemption for farms making 75 percent of their income from farming and farming-related practices is much-needed to bolster resilience. I’m glad to join my House and Senate colleagues in leading this effort to ensure fair access to these critical disaster programs.”
Specifically, the Fair Access to Agriculture Disaster Programs Act waives the AGI limitation for the following disaster programs: Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP), Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP), Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP), Tree Assistance Program (TAP), and Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP).
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Sen. Padilla
