Disaster Assistance for Hurricane-Affected Areas
It’s time for your Southeast Regional Ag News. On the Ag Information Network, I’m Haylie Shipp.
As farmers and ranchers assess damages from Hurricane Ian, the American Farm Bureau Federation is sharing the many programs available to help. AFBF Government Affairs Director RJ Layher says the region is a vital agricultural resource…
“Well, the hurricane came in at a category four landing there on Southwest Florida around Fort Myers, it continued across Florida's Heartland. You have significant amounts of cattle, significant amounts of citrus, specialty crops in there.”
He adds that it’s important to begin the conversation with insurance agents now…
“Hopefully we've got our risk management tools in place for our producers to rely on when they need it most.”
And Layher says that even if farmers and ranchers weren’t impacted by this storm, it serves as a reminder of several other programs from the Department of Agriculture to help recover after a natural disaster…
“Some other things that are available to producers are going to be the Livestock Indemnity Program and Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybee, Farm Raised Fish program. Those programs are available through FSA. There's also the Tree Assistance Program, cost share assistance to rehabilitate orchards and vineyards. We also have through NRCS the Emergency Conservation Program and Emergency Forest Restoration program. if any producers out there have any more questions about it, go to your local county FSA office or NRCS office and inquire.”
That’s AFBF Government Affairs Director RJ Layher.
