Missouri rep introduces bill aimed at getting support for farmers dealing with drought
Rep. Mark Alford, a Missouri Republican, is introducing a bill to reauthorize a Trump-era USDA program aimed at allowing farmers to recoup money for crops they’ve lost due to the ongoing drought across the state.
Alford, who took office this year, wants to authorize $8.5 billion for the Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program-Plus, or WHIP+, which was a supplemental USDA program that helped farmers during a national disaster — even those who did not buy crop insurance before the disaster.
The WHIP program was aimed at crop, tree, bush and vine damage after wildfires and hurricanes in 2017. Later versions of the supplemental program also covered agricultural areas like milk production. In the 2020 fiscal year, it included coverage for damage from droughts.
Currently 79% of Missouri is experiencing a drought, according to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Alford represents the area to the south and east of Kansas City, which makes up the majority of the 11% of the state that is undergoing what the USDA classifies as “extreme drought.”
“Conditions like these have persisted over the past year and have placed enormous burdens and stress on our hardworking farmers and ranchers,” Alford said. “To combat problems like this, the Trump Administration introduced the WHIP + program.”
As climate change has increased extreme weather conditions, there have been an increase in water issues across the country. In the West, years of drought were followed by a wet winter, helping to relieve some stress on states reliant on the Colorado River.
Western Kansas had two years of severe drought, but benefited from a wet summer where there were more inches of rain in three months than the area had gotten in the past year.
Meanwhile, much of central Kansas remains in either an extreme or exceptional drought.
Alford has been critical of the Biden administration’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions, which scientists say are responsible for driving up the planet’s temperature.
There are permanent programs aimed at helping farmers navigate natural disasters in the Farm Bill — primarily crop insurance. But lawmakers have approved supplemental programs in the past to help bolster the existing safeguards.
In December, Congress approved the Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, which provided about $3.7 billion for farmers affected by natural disasters in 2022. The money was distributed by the USDA through a program called the Emergency Relief Program.
Lawmakers are currently in the process of negotiating a new Farm Bill, which is set to expire at the end of September. No draft of the bill has been released.
The Missouri Farm Bureau has been advocating for programs to help farmers who are dealing with drought conditions. In a written statement, Missouri Farm Bureau President Garrett Hawkins said he’s advocating for governmental programs that will make farms more resilient for future droughts.
“The lack of moisture coupled with continued high input prices and supply chain issues has pushed some farmers to their limits,” Hawkins said. “We appreciate Congressman Alford working to extend critical aid to farmers and ranchers.”
