06.11.21

Hoeven: Producers to Receive Full QLA Payments, Additional WHIP+ Payments in Coming Weeks

As Chair of Ag Appropriations, Senator Secured Funding, Coverage for Quality Losses in FY20, Pressed USDA to Finalize Program

WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven, ranking member of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee and a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, today announced that producers will receive their full Quality Loss Adjustment (QLA) program payments, as well as additional Wildfire, Hurricane and Indemnity Program Plus (WHIP+) payments for 2019 indemnities. Currently, producers have received only 50% of their 2019 payment. With the additional WHIP+ payments, producers will receive 90% of 2019 indemnities. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will issue the payments in the coming weeks.

“We worked hard to secure funding for Quality Loss and WHIP+ programs to help farmers and ranchers in North Dakota who were hit with severe challenges in 2018 and 2019,” said Hoeven. “We’ll work with USDA to ensure that these remaining payments are sent out quickly. With our producers facing another severe drought, it’s vital that we do all we can to support them.”

Hoeven is speaking with USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack next week at a Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee hearing about the programs, as well as the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 budget.

As chairman of Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee last Congress, Hoeven secured funding and eligibility for the programs, including: 

  • $1.5 billion for WHIP+, along with authorization to establish the QLA program, including coverage for excess moisture and D3 drought in FY2020.
  • $1.5 billion for QLA and WHIP+ in FY 2021 Agriculture Appropriations to ensure program funding to meet the demand from producers who were impacted by natural disasters in 2018 and 2019.

Since then, Hoeven has repeatedly urged USDA officials, including Secretary Vilsack, to finalize the programs and get the assistance out to producers. 

Producers affected by natural disasters in 2018 and 2019 were eligible to apply for QLA, which covers losses from hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, typhoons, volcanic activity, snowstorms, wildfires, drought, and excessive moisture. Additional information on QLA and WHIP+ is available from USDA at www.farmers.gov.

In addition to the disaster assistance, Hoeven secured $13 billion in resources for farmers and ranchers in the COVID-19 relief package passed in December, as well as nearly $23.5 billion in funding for producers through the CARES Act, which funded the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) and CFAP 2.0. 

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