by George Jared (gjared@talkbusiness.net)
Rice acres and yields were down across the board during the 2022 growing season. Farmers had to battle wild weather fluctuations, disease and skyrocketing input costs. But federal aid is on the way.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced Tuesday (Feb. 28) plans to provide up to $250 million in assistance to rice farmers and what steps they can take to be prepared to sign up when the program is released later this spring. USDA is sharing information early so producers can prepare for program sign up, which will include a pre-filled application in an effort to simplify and streamline the application process.
“USDA intends to use the streamlined approach it has utilized on other disaster programs to speed program implementation,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “By leveraging Farm Service Agency and Risk Management Agency data for the Emergency Relief Program, USDA saved farmers and staff significant time, and we think this approach will help us provide an initial payment more quickly with a final payment after the application period has closed. I appreciate Senate Agriculture Committee Ranking member Sen. John Boozman’s assistance bringing together rice farmers from across the country to provide input on how to expedite and simplify the process.”
