08.13.20

Hoeven Meets With USDA Under Secretary Northey

Senator Working to Advance Assistance for Farmers and Ranchers

WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven, chairman of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee and a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, along with Senator John Boozman, this week met with U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation Bill Northey to urge USDA to utilize the $14 billion in Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) and remaining Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) funding as effectively as possible to assist farmers and ranchers. Under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, Hoeven secured direct funding for CFAP and the $14 billion CCC replenishment, which was made available in July. 

“We appreciate USDA’s efforts to support our farmers and ranchers,” said Hoeven. “We had a good meeting with Under Secretary Northey today to outline the continued challenges facing our farmers and ranchers. As Congress continues working to reach agreement on the next phase of relief, USDA should utilize the funding we’ve already secured under the CARES Act as effectively and efficiently as possible to meet the needs of our farmers and ranchers.”

Hoeven also urged USDA to finalize the quality loss program under disaster assistance funding the senator secured earlier this year. Hoeven worked to expand the Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program Plus (WHIP+) to cover quality losses and clarified eligible disaster events for all North Dakota farmers by including losses related to excess moisture and D3 drought. Since then, the senator has been working to ensure that the coverage works for producers and fairly compensates farmers with quality losses. 

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