11.05.20

Hoeven Continues Pressing Administration to Finalize WHIP+ Quality Loss Assistance As Soon As Possible

Senator Gets Status Update from FSA Administrator, Working to Ensure Program Works for Farmers, Covers all Eligible Causes of Loss

BISMARCK, N.D. – Senator John Hoeven this week spoke with Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Richard Fordyce to get a status update on the quality loss coverage under the Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program Plus (WHIP+), and pressed FSA to advance the program as soon as possible. The senator stressed the need to ensure the program works for producers, covers all eligible causes of loss and fairly compensates farmers. The senator was told that FSA is working to complete the implementation process, including regulatory clearance, handbook drafting and software development and would release program details as soon as these steps are complete.

Hoeven secured the expansion of WHIP+ as part of disaster assistance legislation passed last year and has been pressing the administration to finalize the program. To this end, Hoeven has repeatedly raised the issue with the administration, including in a roundtable he hosted with North Dakota producers and Fordyce in October, as well as a recent conversation with Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation Bill Northey.

“This WHIP+ quality loss coverage is a key piece of helping farmers recover from the challenges of excessive moisture and the early blizzard that impacted them last year,” said Hoeven. “That’s why we’ve continually pressed FSA to finalize this coverage and get the assistance out to producers. At the same time, we’ve facilitated feedback to the administration to help ensure the program works for producers and adequately compensates producers for all eligible causes of loss. I raised these same points in my conversation with Administrator Fordyce this week. He reassured me that the department shares our urgency and will continue working to complete the implementation process, including regulatory clearance, handbook drafting and software development, to make this assistance available in the coming weeks.”

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