USDA Makes Indemnity Payments to Producers Impacted by Hurricane Helene
<div class=\"default-font-wrapper\" style=\"line-height: 1;font-size: 12pt; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;\"><p id=\"isPasted\" style=\'box-sizing: inherit; font-style: normal; color: rgb(33, 33, 33); font-family: \"Public Sans Web\", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, \"Segoe UI\", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, \"Apple Color Emoji\", \"Segoe UI Emoji\", \"Segoe UI Symbol\"; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.75rem; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;\'><span style=\"box-sizing: inherit; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\">Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced additional assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to help producers impacted by Hurricane Helene in the recovery process. USDA is announcing the counties that have triggered for payment under the Hurricane Insurance Protection-Wind Index (HIP-WI) endorsement for Hurricane Helene. As a result, Approved Insurance Providers (AIP) have 30 days to issue payments to producers, but AIPs typically issue payments much sooner.</span></p><p style=\'box-sizing: inherit; font-style: normal; color: rgb(33, 33, 33); font-family: \"Public Sans Web\", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, \"Segoe UI\", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, \"Apple Color Emoji\", \"Segoe UI Emoji\", \"Segoe UI Symbol\"; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.75rem; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;\'><span style=\"box-sizing: inherit; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\">USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) first offered HIP-WI for the 2020 hurricane season, and last year, the endorsement was expanded to include the Tropical Storm Option (TS). Under HIP-WI and TS, producers with the endorsement will receive over $233 million in indemnities for hurricane-related losses from Hurricane Helene. These payments will directly help farmers and rural communities recover.</span></p><p style=\'box-sizing: inherit; font-style: normal; color: rgb(33, 33, 33); font-family: \"Public Sans Web\", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, \"Segoe UI\", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, \"Apple Color Emoji\", \"Segoe UI Emoji\", \"Segoe UI Symbol\"; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.75rem; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;\'><span style=\"box-sizing: inherit; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\">“Several states across the southeast experienced devastating damages from Hurricane Helene, which caused significant destruction right before the fall harvest season,” said Secretary Vilsack. “The Biden-Harris Administration and USDA will support farmers through the recovery process for the long haul, and this includes today’s step of making innovative types of coverage available and getting funds into the hands of producers quickly.”</span></p><p style=\'box-sizing: inherit; font-style: normal; color: rgb(33, 33, 33); font-family: \"Public Sans Web\", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, \"Segoe UI\", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, \"Apple Color Emoji\", \"Segoe UI Emoji\", \"Segoe UI Symbol\"; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.75rem; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;\'><span style=\"box-sizing: inherit; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\">Currently, Hurricane Helene estimated indemnities for both HIP-WI and TS by state include:</span></p><ul style=\'box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(27, 27, 27); font-family: \"Public Sans Web\", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, \"Segoe UI\", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, \"Apple Color Emoji\", \"Segoe UI Emoji\", \"Segoe UI Symbol\"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;\'><li style=\"box-sizing: inherit; font-style: normal; color: rgb(33, 33, 33); font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"box-sizing: inherit;\">Alabama: $5.0 million </span></li><li style=\"box-sizing: inherit; font-style: normal; color: rgb(33, 33, 33); font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"box-sizing: inherit;\">Florida: $12.8 million </span></li><li style=\"box-sizing: inherit; font-style: normal; color: rgb(33, 33, 33); font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"box-sizing: inherit;\">Georgia: $207.7 million </span></li><li style=\"box-sizing: inherit; font-style: normal; color: rgb(33, 33, 33); font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"box-sizing: inherit;\">North Carolina: $4.1 million </span></li><li style=\"box-sizing: inherit; font-style: normal; color: rgb(33, 33, 33); font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"box-sizing: inherit;\">South Carolina: $4.1 million </span></li><li style=\"box-sizing: inherit; font-style: normal; color: rgb(33, 33, 33); font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"box-sizing: inherit;\">Virginia: $61,000 </span></li></ul><p style=\'box-sizing: inherit; font-style: normal; color: rgb(33, 33, 33); font-family: \"Public Sans Web\", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, \"Segoe UI\", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, \"Apple Color Emoji\", \"Segoe UI Emoji\", \"Segoe UI Symbol\"; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.75rem; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;\'><span style=\"box-sizing: inherit; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\">These payments are in addition to the estimated $58 million paid for Hurricane Beryl, the $214 million paid for Hurricane Debby and the $128 million paid for Hurricane Francine, which hit gulf coast and southeastern states in July, August and September respectively. In total over $630 million in payments have been issued under HIP-WI and TS in 2024. </span></p><p style=\'box-sizing: inherit; font-style: normal; color: rgb(33, 33, 33); font-family: \"Public Sans Web\", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, \"Segoe UI\", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, \"Apple Color Emoji\", \"Segoe UI Emoji\", \"Segoe UI Symbol\"; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.75rem; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;\'><span style=\"box-sizing: inherit; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\">Agricultural Deputy Secretary Torres Small today visited South Carolina and Georgia to hear from those on the ground during the recovery process. In South Carolina, Deputy Secretary Torres Small visited a local family farm and highlighted resources USDA has available for farmers as they work to recover their operations. In Georgia, in partnership with Feeding America, the Deputy Secretary helped pack emergency food at the Golden Harvest Food Bank. </span></p><p style=\'box-sizing: inherit; font-style: normal; color: rgb(33, 33, 33); font-family: \"Public Sans Web\", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, \"Segoe UI\", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, \"Apple Color Emoji\", \"Segoe UI Emoji\", \"Segoe UI Symbol\"; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.75rem; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;\'><span style=\"box-sizing: inherit; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\">USDA continues to look at every avenue possible to accelerate assistance and get resources to the people that need them most. This includes by putting into place </span><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\"><a href=\"https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2024/10/04/usda-offers-resources-adds-flexibilities-disaster-assistance\" style=\'box-sizing: inherit; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(26, 90, 211); font-size: 1rem; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-line: underline; line-height: 1.75rem; font-family: \"Public Sans\";\'><span style=\"box-sizing: inherit;\">contingency plans and program flexibilities</span></a></span><span style=\"box-sizing: inherit; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\"> to support farmers, foresters and rural communities. A full list of FSA disaster assistance programs is available on the</span><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\"><a href=\"https://www.farmers.gov/protection-recovery/hurricane\" style=\'box-sizing: inherit; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(26, 90, 211); font-size: 1rem; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-line: underline; line-height: 1.75rem; font-family: \"Public Sans\";\'><span style=\"box-sizing: inherit;\"> Hurricane webpage on farmers.gov</span></a></span><span style=\"box-sizing: inherit; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\">.</span></p><p style=\'box-sizing: inherit; font-style: normal; color: rgb(33, 33, 33); font-family: \"Public Sans Web\", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, \"Segoe UI\", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, \"Apple Color Emoji\", \"Segoe UI Emoji\", \"Segoe UI Symbol\"; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.75rem; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;\'><span style=\"box-sizing: inherit; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\">USDA has 215 responders engaged in immediate response and recovery efforts, with incident management teams deployed in North Carolina, Tennessee, and Georgia, conducting work such as clearing trees and debris. These teams are also providing key support to FEMA’s national response efforts, including daily assessments and logistical coordination from Washington D.C. Within USDA, we are also adjusting internal staff to support producers in hurricane stricken states and provide FSA jump teams.</span></p><p style=\'box-sizing: inherit; font-style: normal; color: rgb(33, 33, 33); font-family: \"Public Sans Web\", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, \"Segoe UI\", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, \"Apple Color Emoji\", \"Segoe UI Emoji\", \"Segoe UI Symbol\"; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.75rem; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;\'><span style=\"box-sizing: inherit; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\"><strong style=\"box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: bolder;\">Emergency Procedures </strong></span></p><p style=\'box-sizing: inherit; font-style: normal; color: rgb(33, 33, 33); font-family: \"Public Sans Web\", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, \"Segoe UI\", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, \"Apple Color Emoji\", \"Segoe UI Emoji\", \"Segoe UI Symbol\"; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.75rem; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;\'><span style=\"box-sizing: inherit; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\">Due to the catastrophic damage that Hurricane Helene caused in the southeast as well as the continuing impacts from Hurricane Debby, RMA authorized emergency procedures to help producers with hurricane-related losses. </span></p><p style=\'box-sizing: inherit; font-style: normal; color: rgb(33, 33, 33); font-family: \"Public Sans Web\", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, \"Segoe UI\", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, \"Apple Color Emoji\", \"Segoe UI Emoji\", \"Segoe UI Symbol\"; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.75rem; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;\'><span style=\"box-sizing: inherit; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\">RMA is working with crop insurance companies to streamline and accelerate the adjustment of losses and issuance of indemnity payments to crop insurance policyholders in impacted areas. </span></p><p style=\'box-sizing: inherit; font-style: normal; color: rgb(33, 33, 33); font-family: \"Public Sans Web\", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, \"Segoe UI\", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, \"Apple Color Emoji\", \"Segoe UI Emoji\", \"Segoe UI Symbol\"; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.75rem; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;\'><span style=\"box-sizing: inherit; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\">Emergency procedures will help streamline paperwork and reduce the number of required representative samples when damage is consistent. These flexibilities will reduce burdens on both insurance companies and producers. </span></p><p style=\'box-sizing: inherit; font-style: normal; color: rgb(33, 33, 33); font-family: \"Public Sans Web\", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, \"Segoe UI\", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, \"Apple Color Emoji\", \"Segoe UI Emoji\", \"Segoe UI Symbol\"; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.75rem; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;\'><span style=\"box-sizing: inherit; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\">RMA’s emergency procedure flexibilities apply to all counties in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia impacted by Hurricane Helene or Hurricane Debby. </span></p><p style=\'box-sizing: inherit; font-style: normal; color: rgb(33, 33, 33); font-family: \"Public Sans Web\", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, \"Segoe UI\", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, \"Apple Color Emoji\", \"Segoe UI Emoji\", \"Segoe UI Symbol\"; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.75rem; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;\'><span style=\"box-sizing: inherit; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\">Additional information on these emergency procedures is available on RMA’s </span><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\"><a href=\"https://www.rma.usda.gov/about-crop-insurance/highlighted-initiatives-plans/hurricanes-helene-debby\" style=\'box-sizing: inherit; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(26, 90, 211); font-size: 1rem; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-line: underline; line-height: 1.75rem; font-family: \"Public Sans\";\'><span style=\"box-sizing: inherit;\">Hurricanes Helene and Debby webpage</span></a></span><span style=\"box-sizing: inherit; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\">. </span></p><p style=\'box-sizing: inherit; font-style: normal; color: rgb(33, 33, 33); font-family: \"Public Sans Web\", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, \"Segoe UI\", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, \"Apple Color Emoji\", \"Segoe UI Emoji\", \"Segoe UI Symbol\"; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.75rem; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;\'><span style=\"box-sizing: inherit; font-family: Ve