Agriculture aid bill moves forward from committee

ELIZABETHTOWN — Many farmers in southeastern North Carolina hurt by Hurricane Isaias got good news in a Wednesday vote by the House Agriculture Committee.

The 2020 WHIP+ Reauthorization Act unanimously passed. This is a bill that will extend the Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program Plus program for both 2020 and 2021. It and a preceding program originally gave necessary supplemental assistance to producers for 2017-19 production losses.

The bill has reforms to improve the application process that delayed the program in 2018 and 2019.

Rep. David Rouzer, who represents Bladen County in North Carolina’s District 7 and is on the committee, said, “Extension of the Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program Plus is critical for our farm families who suffered losses due to a disaster event in 2020 and 2021. Specifically, Hurricane Isaias inflicted severe damage in Southeastern North Carolina in 2020, resulting in $29 million in agricultural losses not covered by insurance for which producers have had no assistance with recovery. I’m pleased the Committee came together in a bipartisan fashion to provide an extension of disaster assistance to enable a stronger recovery for our producers hit hard by Hurricane Isaias.”