Payments Come from Ag Disaster Assistance Funding Senator Secured in December 2024
WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven today issued the following statement after the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced it would increase payments under the Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (SDRP), which provides assistance to producers with losses resulting from disasters in 2023 and 2024. The program is funded using the $21 billion in weather-related disaster assistance that Hoeven secured as chairman of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee in December 2024.
Under the changes, USDA will increase the payment factor from 35 percent to 70 percent for eligible producers and issue a second payment to producers with approved applications. This will build upon the $330 million North Dakota producers have received from SDRP since the program rolled out last year. The program deadline has also been extended until August 12, 2026. Additional information on the program can be found here: fsa.usda.gov/sdrp.
“We secured this $21 million in weather-related assistance after our producers faced significant hardships in 2023 and 2024 from wildfires, winter storms and other disasters, with initial payments to North Dakota farmers totaling $330 million so far. This second round of payments is a welcome relief to producers who faced natural disaster losses. At the same time, we will continue working to provide additional assistance to give our producers an important lifeline until the enhancements we made to the farm safety net come into full effect,” said Hoeven.
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