U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that to date, agricultural producers have received more than $4 billion in assistance thus far through the Emergency Relief Program (ERP). The total amounts to 67% of the more than $6 billion projected to be distributed in the first phase of the program. Payments have been distributed throughout the month of June for eligible producers who suffered losses due to natural disasters in 2020 and 2021. Applications are open until July 22 to receive compensation for damages.

The second phase of ERP focuses on ensuring producers not covered by other programs can still receive assistance. ERP is funded by the Extending Government Funding and Delivering Emergency Assistance Act, which President Biden signed into law in 2021. ERP has $10 billion in total funding, $750 million of which is for livestock producers who suffered losses due to drought or wildfire in 2021.

Statement from Secretary Vilsack:

“We recognize the financial recovery need is great and worked deliberately to create a program delivery process that would ensure quick payments to producers,” Vilsack said. “I am extremely proud to share that the strategically streamlined ERP application and program implementation process have yielded the desired results – reduced burdens on and expedited payments to approximately 120,000 disaster-impacted agricultural producers, to date.”

Read more on ERP, eligibility and payments here.