WASHINGTON (July 27, 2021) – House Agriculture Committee Chairman David Scott and Representative Mike Thompson applaud the passage of H.R. 267 to extend WHIP+ for 2020 and 2021 disasters:

“I’m glad that we were able to come together in a bipartisan way to pass this bill that, once enacted, will provide the framework for getting much needed disaster assistance to our agricultural producers. As we can see right now, today, through the ravaging fires through so many of our western agriculture states in our country, our unanimous, bipartisan bill is most timely and very much needed. I am very proud of the bipartisan work on this disaster bill today by both Democrats and Republicans, working together for our great nation. As we know, severe and unforeseen weather events wreaked havoc on crops and livestock throughout 2020 and continue now during the 2021 growing season. It is my hope and expectation that as a Committee, we continue to focus on disaster relief and engage every opportunity available to strengthen the farm safety net and find a way to get immediate disaster aid out to our farmers, ranchers, and foresters more quickly without delays,” said Chairman David Scott.

“From extreme fires to historic drought, our district and our nation have seen devastating disasters this year and last year. The Federal government must provide every tool and resource possible as we rebuild. That includes supporting family farmers and producers who had their crops ruined by smoke damage in the 2020 fires in our district,” said Thompson, whose district continues to recover from the LNU Lightning Complex and Glass Fires of 2020. “Earlier this year, I introduced the WHIP+ Reauthorization Act to ensure we reactivate the critical Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program Plus to help agricultural producers in our district. Today I’m glad to see my bipartisan bill approved by the Agriculture Committee and I’ll work to ensure it’s considered on the House floor as soon as possible.”

Stakeholder groups that have expressed their support for the bill include the National Farmers Union, the American Farm Bureau Federation, National Milk Producers Federation, National Sorghum Producers, and the National Cotton Council.

H.R. 267, the 2020 WHIP+ Reauthorization Act passed out of the House Agriculture Committee on July 27th, 2021 with unanimous, bipartisan support.