USDA Begins Disaster Payments

March 19, 2001

USDA has begun making more than $1.1 billion in crop disaster payments for losses to 2000 crops. So far, about 450,000 applications from 160,000 farmers have been approved and more are expected. Final payments and statewide totals will be announced when all payments are made.

Signup for the program began Jan. 18. Farmers should contact their local USDA Service Center or Farm Service Agency county office to file an application. To be eligible, farmers must have suffered at least a 35% loss to one or more of their 2000-year crops due to natural disasters. Eligible farmers will receive payment soon after approval of their application. The deadline to file an application will be announced later.

Congress provided the funds as part of the 2001 appropriations bill approved last year. In 2000, USDA issued more than $1.2 billion in crop disaster payments.