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Summary:
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) offers several permanently authorized programs to help farmers recover financially from a natural disaster, including federal crop insurance, the noninsured assistance program and emergency disaster loans. Since 1988, Congress regularly has made supplemental financial assistance available to farmers and ranchers on an ad-hoc basis, primarily in the form of direct crop disaster payments and emergency livestock assistance. Most recently, Congress provided an estimated $3.5 billion for 2003 and 2004 crop and livestock losses, and for other purposes, in supplemental agricultural disaster assistance within the FY2005 Military Construction Appropriations Act (P.L. 108-324). This report reviews ongoing and recently enacted ad-hoc emergency USDA disaster programs. To date, no emergency assistance has been provided for 2005 agricultural losses. A severe drought in portions of the Midwest growing region, Hurricane Katrina, and other 2005 weather-related disasters might intensify pressure for Congress to consider such assistance. This report will be updated as conditions warrant.
