The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has opened applications for the Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (SDRP), providing $16 billion in aid to agricultural producers who experienced crop losses due to natural disasters in 2023 and 2024. The announcement follows calls from U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.), who advocated for expedited assistance after severe weather events, including Hurricane Helene and drought, affected North Carolina farmers last year.
Senator Budd commented on the importance of this aid: “Our farmers are the lifeblood of our nation, sustaining our communities and our economy. When severe weather events, like Hurricane Helene, and drought struck North Carolina last year, it devastated our crops and shattered countless livelihoods. Unfortunately, this tragic pattern repeats itself whenever major natural disasters strike. Without swift disaster relief, agricultural producers face the stark reality of downsizing or closing their operations altogether. This is why I am deeply grateful to the Trump administration for ensuring that critical aid reaches our farmers, in North Carolina and across the country, helping them recover and continue feeding America,” said Senator Budd.
Earlier this year, Senator Budd led a bipartisan letter urging USDA to speed up rulemaking for distributing disaster relief funds allocated by Congress in December 2024. The lack of clarity around federal rules had created uncertainty about how quickly farmers could access emergency funding.
In May, USDA released its plan to deliver aid to those impacted by natural disasters following these efforts.
Applications for SDRP open today through USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA). Assistance will be delivered in two stages and is available for both years if applicable. More information can be found at https://www.fsa.usda.gov/resources/programs/supplemental-disaster-relief-program-sdrp.
