04.09.18

Hoeven Announces $34 Million to Help Agriculture Producers Affected by Drought & Other Natural Disasters

Senator Worked to Provide the Additional ELAP Funding to Help Farmers and Ranchers Affected by Drought

WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven, chairman of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee and a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is issuing $34 million to agriculture producers affected by natural disasters in 2017, including North Dakota farmers and ranchers who experienced drought-related losses. The funds are made available through USDA’s Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-raised Fish Program (ELAP). 

As chairman of Agriculture Appropriations, Hoeven secured the additional funding for ELAP in the supplemental funding legislation Congress passed in February. ELAP funds assist with losses that other USDA disaster assistance programs do not cover.

“We worked hard to secure additional ELAP funding for our farmers and ranchers who were affected by last year’s drought,” Hoeven said. “The funding released by USDA today will help our agriculture producers to receive additional assistance to address costs they incurred from the drought.”

In addition to the ELAP funding, Chairman Hoeven also secured additional Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) funding. The bill enables producers who were forced to sell their livestock due to drought or other weather-related conditions, to receive LIP payment for their losses and removes payment limitations currently capped at $125,000. The provision is retroactive to January 1, 2017. 

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