USDA announces disaster aid for Kansas farmers

U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue recently announced the distribution of additional payments for farmers impacted by 2018 and 2019 disasters, including drought and flooding, through the Wildfires and Hurricane Indemnity Program Plus.

“Our farmers have endured a lot over the last two years, many going from not enough moisture to too much rainfall,” said U.S. Congressman Roger Marshall, R-KS, a member of the House Agriculture Committee. “Several counties saw unprecedented weather conditions that proved too much for the crops. It is important we continue to provide assistance for farmers dealing with extreme weather events and adverse growing conditions to help them continue their operations and provide us with the safest and most affordable food supply in the world.”

A June 2019 disaster relief package allocated more than $3 billion for disaster assistance and a December 2019 appropriations act provided an additional $1.5 billion to help farmers impacted by severe weather events.

Sign up for the WHIP+ will begin March 23 and farmers must visit their local Farm Service Agency to apply. Counties were made eligible for funding by either receiving a D3 or greater drought designation by the U.S. Drought Monitor or were included in a federal disaster declaration. Eligibility will include crops grown in both 2018 and 2019.

The payments will be issued using a formula that includes the WHIP factor and level of crop insurance carried on each crop. The WHIP factor is between 75 and 95 percent for producers who did obtain crop insurance or NAP coverage. Producers who elected the highest coverage level will receive 95%. Those with no crop insurance or NAP coverage will receive 70%.

Eligible counties

Allen, 2019 only; Anderson. 2019 only; Atchison, 2019 only; Barber, 2018 and 2019; Barton, 2019 only; Bourbon, 2019 only; Brown, 2019 only; Butler, 2019 only; Chase, 2019 only; Chautauqua, 2019 only; Cherokee, 2019 only; Clark, 2019 only; Clay, 2018 and 2019; Cloud, 2019 only; Coffey, 2019 only; Comanche, 2019 only; Cowley, 2019 only; Crawford, 2019 only; Dickinson, 2019 only; Doniphan, 2019 only; Douglas, 2019 only; Edwards, 2019 only; Elk, 2019 only; Ellsworth, 2019 only; Ford, 2019 only; Franklin, 2019 only; Geary, 2019 only; Gove, 2019 only; Graham, 2018 only; Gray, 2019 only; Greenwood, 2019 only; Harper, 2019 only; Harvey, 2019 only; Hodgeman, 2019 only; Jefferson, 2019 only; Johnson, 2019 only; Kingman, 2018 and 2019; Kiowa, 2018 only; Labette, 2019 only; Leavenworth, 2019 only; Lincoln, 2019 only; Linn, 2019 only; Lyon, 2019 only; Marion, 2019 only; Marshall, 2018 and 2019; McPherson, 2019 only; Meade, 2019 only; Miami, 2019 only; Montgomery, 2019 only; Morris, 2019 only; Nemaha, 2019 only; Neosho, 2019 only; Ness, 2019 only; Osage, 2019 only; Osborne, 2019 only; Ottawa, 2019 only; Pawnee, 2019 only; Phillips, 2019 only; Pottawatomie, 2019 only Pratt, 2018 and 2019 Rawlins, 2019 only; Reno, 2019 only; Rice, 2018 and 2019; Riley, 2018 and 2019; Rush, 2019 only; Russell: 2019 only; Saline, 2019 only; Sherman, 2018 only; Smith, 2019 only; Stafford, 2019 only; Sumner, 2019 only; Wabaunsee, 2019 only; Wallace, 2019 only; Washington, 2019 only; Wilson, 2019 only; Woodson, 2019 only; and Wyandotte, 2019 only.