$3.7 Billion in Disaster Aid in Senate Omnibus Bill

By Andy Brown

Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation

Merry Christmas! We have continued to work with our delegation and other key members of Congress to secure assistance for 2022 for Louisiana farmers and ranchers. I am pleased to report that two pieces of farmer assistance, and a third industry assistance piece are proposed to be included in this week’s Omnibus appropriations legislation. We have asked Congress to support these measures and would encourage you to reach out to your member asking for support too. The Senate is expected to vote Thursday (12/22) and the House Friday (12/23). 

1. $3.7 Billion is proposed for agricultural disaster aid for 2022. 

a. This should extend ERP into 2022. 

b. “Revenue loss” and “quality losses of crops” were both included in the text allowing for assistance to crop producers suffering from quality/revenue loss from excess moisture (i.e. LA’s 2022 soybean crop). 

c. We have met personally with USDA-FSA in Washington D.C. in recent weeks to share pro’s and con’s of ERP in 2020/2021 and will continue to try and shape ERP in 2022. We anticipate ERP Phase 2 to be released for 2020 and 2021 any day now. 

2. $250 Million is proposed for rice farmer direct assistance 

a. USA Rice led this charge, but was supported by LFBF and Congresswoman Julia Letlow to bring assistance to rice producers who have suffered extreme input costs without increase in market price. 

b. This payment is based on 2022 planted and prevent planted acres, multiplied by your APH, times at least $0.02 per lb. That could increase slightly depending on number of applicants/acres to spread the money across. 

3. $100 Million is proposed for cotton merchandiser assistance 

a. “The Secretary shall make pandemic assistance payments, under terms and conditions as determined by the Secretary, to cotton merchandisers that purchased cotton from a United States cotton producer or marketed cotton on behalf of a United States cotton producer during the period that begins on March 1, 2020, and ends on the date of enactment of this Act.” 

b. This pandemic related assistance has been attempted for a few years now, relating back to the CFAP days and other supply chain disruption assistance. Cotton merchandisers weren’t authorized then and needed Congressional authority to be so. Both this and the rice payment are using leftover money from previous COVID related appropriation bills. 

Please contact Andy Brown at andyb@lfbf.org or 225-922-6209 if you have any questions.