WASHINGTON — Last week, Congressman Ronny Jackson (TX-13) sent a letter to the Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, calling on the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide transparency on its plan to implement Phase 2 of the Emergency Relief Program (ERP) and the Emergency Livestock Relief Program (ELRP), both of which will provide critical relief for the agriculture industry throughout the United States. 

Jackson said: “Americans continue to face historic inflation and supply chain issues, which has led to rising costs in nearly every aspect of life—our farmers and ranchers are no exception to these struggles. Last year, Texas farmers and ranchers saw significant agriculture losses of over $600 million due to Winter Storm Uri. The damage from storms and natural disasters in 2020 and 2021, combined with soaring input costs and devastating labor shortages, have left many farmers and ranchers helpless. These hard-working individuals, many of whom I represent in TX-13, deserve answers from the USDA on its plan to distribute the remaining disaster funds through Phase 2. The Biden Administration must ensure America’s farmers and ranchers get the resources and support they need to continue to feed, fuel, and clothe the world.”

The letter sent to Secretary Vilsack can be found here.

Background:

• In September 2021, Congress authorized emergency relief funding for production losses endured during the 2020 and 2021 calendar years. 
• This disaster relief package, which included language Jackson authored, is meant to provide critical resources to Texas ag producers.
• In January 2022, Jackson led his colleagues in sending a letter to Secretary Vilsack calling on the USDA to administer the disaster relief payments authorized by Congress without delay.
• Since then, the USDA established two multi-phase systems—ERP and ELRP.
• The USDA used existing producer data to expediate emergency payments through Phase 1. However, to date, Congress has received no information from the Administration about its plan, or timeline, to distribute the remaining funds through Phase 2. 

Co-signers include Representatives Bruce Westerman (AR-04), Mike Johnson (LA-04), Jodey C. Arrington (TX-19), August Pfluger (TX-11), Roger Williams (TX-25), Mayra Flores (TX-34), Michael Cloud (TX-27), Randy K. Weber (TX-14), Dan Crenshaw (TX-02), Tony Gonzales (TX-23), Pete Sessions (TX-17), Jake Ellzey (TX-06), Louie Gohmert (TX-01), Brian Babin, D.D.S. (TX-36), Dan Newhouse (WA-04), Michael Guest (MS-03), John Moolenaar (MI-04), Dusty Johnson (SD-AL), James Baird (IN-04), Trent Kelly (MS-01), Rick Crawford (AR-01), Randy Feenstra (IA-04), Barry Moore (AL-02), Mary Miller (IL-15), Julia Letlow (LA-05), Clay Higgins (LA-03), Mariannette Miller Meeks, M.D. (IA-02), John Rose (TN-06), and Chris Stewart (UT-02). 

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