The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced it will make available $800 million to agricultural producers in Alabama, Florida and Georgia affected by hurricanes Michael and Florence. The state block grants are part of a broader $3 billion package to help producers recover from 2018 and 2019 natural disasters, which includes the Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program-Plus (WHIP+) as well as programs for loss of milk and stored commodities. In a phone interview with Southeast AgNet’s Randall Weiseman, USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator, Richard Fordyce, explained how these block grants will work.
Producers affected by disasters are encouraged to visit the Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool on farmers.gov, which will help them gain a better understanding of available programs. To learn more about or apply for WHIP+ and other USDA disaster assistance programs, contact your local USDA service center.