Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) joined Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), and 12 other Democratic Senators in pressing the administration for assurances that assistance for economic challenges in 2024 and natural disasters in 2023 and 2024 will be provided to all farmers — including row crop and specialty crop farmers — as quickly as possible. The Senators emphasized the need for farmers to receive this aid as they make decisions for spring planting season.
In a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, the Senators wrote, “Farmers are making decisions right now about fertilizer usage and their crop mix and are working with their bankers to figure out if they can secure the financing they need to continue farming this year. Without the timely delivery of economic and disaster assistance, farmers face the prospect of reducing plantings or liquidating assets to remain in business as they head into another potentially difficult growing season.”
The Senators continued, “The American Relief Act included a detailed formula for determining economic loss, which was intended in part to speed implementation. During implementation, we ask that you engage with impacted farmers and other groups, particularly regarding the implementation of the per-acre payment rates for commodities. We urge you to use the precedent of previous ad hoc programs to simplify the experience for farmers by leveraging existing loss data and to pre-fill applications for producers.”
The letter was also joined by Senators Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.).
The full letter is available here and below.
Dear Secretary Rollins,
As you work to establish priorities for the coming weeks and months, we urge you to move forward as quickly as possible on providing disaster relief for farmers.
As you know, the American Relief Act provided significant natural and economic disaster assistance for row crop farmers who experienced economic losses resulting from declining prices and stagnant input costs during the 2024 crop year. Specialty crop growers have faced similar economic challenges, and USDA must complete the planned second round of assistance for them.
The Senate Agriculture Committee recently held a hearing where we heard compelling testimony from farmers across the country who face uncertainty heading into spring planting season. Proposed tariffs on key trading partners like Canada, which could drive up input prices, and the potential for retaliatory tariffs from key export markets have only exacerbated that uncertainty.
Farmers are making decisions right now about fertilizer usage and their crop mix and are working with their bankers to figure out if they can secure the financing they need to continue farming this year. Without the timely delivery of economic and disaster assistance, farmers face the prospect of reducing plantings or liquidating assets to remain in business as they head into another potentially difficult growing season.
The American Relief Act included a detailed formula for determining economic loss, which was intended in part to speed implementation. During implementation, we ask that you engage with impacted farmers and other groups, particularly regarding the implementation of the per-acre payment rates for commodities. We urge you to use the precedent of previous ad hoc programs to simplify the experience for farmers by leveraging existing loss data and to pre-fill applications for producers.
Farmers of fruits, vegetables, and other specialty crops have also experienced difficult economic conditions and high input prices. Specialty crop producers have already applied for and received initial payment under the Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops (MASC), and USDA should make the planned additional payments before we get into the growing season.
Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter. We look forward to working with you to help our farmers succeed.
###