USDA supports farmers after 2024 disasters

Nov 20, 2024
By Farms.com

Over $2 billion pledged for specialty crops and storage aid

The USDA has unveiled over $2 billion in funding to help farmers recover from 2024’s natural disasters. This support focuses on specialty crops and crop storage needs.

The Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops program allocates $2 billion to support fruit, vegetable, and nut producers facing high costs and market barriers. Applications open in December 2024.

The Commodity Storage Assistance Program provides $140 million for farmers to access necessary storage facilities. This program helps mitigate disaster-related challenges like those caused by Hurricanes Debby, Helene, and Milton.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack stated, “Specialty crop producers play a critical role in U.S. agriculture,” emphasizing the importance of these programs for recovery.

Additional USDA initiatives include the Emergency Relief Program and over $6 billion in crop insurance indemnities in 2024, aiding farmers nationwide.

These efforts highlight USDA’s commitment to supporting local food systems, expanding market opportunities, and ensuring recovery from disasters. Farmers can find resources at farmers.gov/hurricane.

Video: Why Invest in Canada’s Seed Future? | On The Brink: Episode 3

Darcy Unger just invested millions to build a brand-new seed plant on his farm in Stonewall, Manitoba so when it’s time for his sons to take over, they have the tools they need to succeed.

Right now, 95% of the genetics they’ll be growing come from Canadian plant breeders.

That number matters.

When fusarium hit Western Canada in the late 90s, it was Canadian breeders who responded, because they understood Canadian conditions. That ability to react quickly to what’s happening on Canadian farms is exactly what’s at risk when breeding programs lose funding.

For farmers like Darcy, who have made generational investments based on the assumption that better genetics will keep coming, the stakes are direct and personal.

We’re on the brink of decisions that will shape our agricultural future for not only our generation, but also the ones to come.

What direction will we choose?

On The Brink is a year-long video series traveling across Canada to meet the researchers, breeders, farmers, seed companies, and policymakers shaping the future of Canadian plant breeding. Each week, a new story. Each story, a piece of the bigger picture.

Episode 3 is above. Follow Seed World Canada to catch every episode, and tell us: Do you think the next generation will have the tools they need to success when they takeover? How is the future going to look?