Mississippi agriculture producers are urged to access new USDA relief program

Miss. Senator Says State’s Commodity & Specialty Crop Producers Could Receive an Estimated $80 Million for Losses in 2020-2021

WASHINGTON, D.C. May 16, 2022– U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) encouraged commodity and specialty crop producers in Mississippi to learn more about a new U.S. Department of Agriculture emergency relief program for losses incurred in 2020 and 2021.

The USDA on Monday announced it established a new Emergency Relief Program (ERP) within the Farm Service Agency (FSA) to begin the distribution of approximately $6.0 billion nationally to offset crop yield and value losses related to natural disasters.  The USDA estimates Mississippi producers will receive $80 million in ERP payments.

“I strongly encourage producers who experienced losses associated with natural disasters over the past two years, including excessive rain and flooding, to learn more about the new Emergency Relief Program,” said Hyde-Smith, who serves on the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee.  “Congress appropriated this funding to ensure farmers and their operations remain viable following catastrophic weather conditions.”

Of significance to Mississippi, Hyde-Smith pointed out that the USDA estimates its largest ERP payments for commodities like corn, soybeans, cotton, and rice.

The debut of the ERP represents the first installment from the $10 billion in emergency relief funding appropriated last September for 2020 and 2021 crop production losses.  The USDA will continue providing support to ranchers through the Emergency Livestock Relief Program announced in March, and will initiate Phase 2 for ERP at a later date.

A FSA fact sheet on ERP is available here.

Chris Gallegos, communications director

U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Mississippi)

202-224-6414 • https://www.hydesmith.senate.gov/