Representatives Push Ag. Sec. on Crop Losses

Montana's Congressman and both Senators wrote to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to push for Ag. relief for losses due to the eradic weather patterns during harvest this year. For the context and story see page 5A.

The Honorable Sonny Perdue

Secretary of Agriculture

US Department of Agriculture

1280 Maryland Ave SW

Washington, DC 20250

October 17, 2019

Dear Secretary Perdue:

On October 16, 2019 multiple producer organizations, including the National Association of Wheat Growers, National Barley Growers Association, USA Dry Pea and Lentil Council, and the National Farmers Union, wrote you asking that impacted farmers receive the fullest appropriate disaster relief under the Wildfires and Hurricanes Indemnity Program Plus (WHIP+). They also urged flexibility in the crop insurance program to assist farmers who face severe crop-quality value losses due to excess moisture. I fully support these requests. I applaud the USDA for its efforts to provide a safety net for farmers struck by severe weather and natural disasters and believe these weather events and resultant crop-quality losses qualify.

During this year’s harvest, grain growers and other farmers in Montana and across the northern tier felt the impact of excessive amounts of moisture. The above average precipitation interfered with the farmers’ ability to harvest and caused considerable degradation in the quality of their yields. Early heavy snowfall only exacerbated these issues. Crop insurance can help cover yield losses, but quality losses result in lower per bushel prices and result in an oversupply that can prevent sales that would be used to trigger insurance coverage or further drive down prices.

The county government of Daniels County, Montana believe that up to 65% of crops there were still in the field when the recent rain and snow occurred. They worry the losses from this event on top of losses from the 2017 drought will drive many area farmers out of business and force them to move out of the area.

I urge you to use all resources at your disposal to provide disaster assistance to all farmers affected, including allowing WHIP+ coverage of quality losses. I thank you for your consideration and look forward to working with you on this and other issues in the future.

Sincerely,

Greg Gianforte

Member of Congress

Montana

House of Representatives

The Honorable Sonny Perdue

Secretary

United States Department

of Agriculture

1400 Independence Avenue, SW

Washington, DC 20250

Sept. 25, 2019

Secretary Perdue:

I write today to express concern about conditions affecting wheat growers in Northeast Montana.

In some parts of Northeast Montana, producers received as much as 150 percent of normal rainfall this spring. The extreme precipitation boosted yield, and many Montana farmers cut a high yield crop this harvest. At the same time, the prolonged moisture cut down the quality of the grain. As a result, Montana producers are now sitting on high volumes of potentially unsellable grain.

You recently announced that the Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program Plus (WHIP+) will provide assistance for counties with qualifying disaster declarations, as well as counties that may have been impacted by the qualified disaster. I ask that you clarify that WHIP+ includes value and quality losses, and thus are eligible for assistance. For wheat growers, value and quality losses are as devastating as yield losses, and WHIP+ should reflect that.

I urge you to look into this issue and find a workable solution for Montana’s grain growers. Please do not hesitate to follow up with me if you have any further questions.

Sincerely,

Jon Tester, Montana

United States Senate

Senate Hart Building

Suite 311

Washington, DC 20510

The Honorable Sonny Perdue

Secretary of Agriculture

US Department of Agriculture

1280 Maryland Ave SW

Washington, DC 20250

Oct. 7, 2019

Dear Secretary Perdue:

I write to you regarding the impact of excessive rainfall that has recently occurred in northeast Montana and has resulted in substantial quality loss in the region’s crops. Over the past several weeks, northeast Montana has faced unusual and sustained high levels of precipitation and I urge you to utilize all appropriate resources and flexibility to provide relief and disaster assistance to impacted farmers in a prompt manner.

As you know, Montana farmers and the agriculture economy overall are facing significant challenges, whether it be low commodity prices, weather, or market access issues. This rainfall has occurred during harvest and has resulted in losses due to high yields yet very low quality which renders crop insurance ineffective and has dramatically reduced the value and market for their crop.

In particular, I urge the U.S. Department of Agriculture to allow for farmers impacted by excessive moisture to be eligible to participate in the Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program Plus (WHIP+) program and have the WHIP+ program account for price impacts due to severe quality loss from excessive moisture. I appreciate the USDA’s efforts to provide an effective and efficient safety net for farmers when natural disasters or severe weather strikes and I believe these weather events and resulting losses qualify.

Thank you for your consideration, and I look forward to continuing to work with you on this and other critical issues.

Sincerely,

Steve Daines, Montana

United States Senate

320 Hart Senate Office

Building

Washington, DC 20510