The bulk of the Dec. 18 meeting -- and why most of the farmers were there -- was spent on clarifying WHIP and WHIP+. The Wildfires and Hurricanes Indemnity Program was created to cover crop losses that resulted from 2017 and 2018 wildfires, Hurricane Cindy and extreme cold weather. (Cold weather applied to only the blueberries and peaches crop.) In 2019, the Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act of 2019 expanded the WHIP disaster relief program to WHIP+. The WHIP and WHIP+ programs are a departure from the conventional thinking of the past 10 years, which was to reduce federal assistance to farmers and, instead, have them purchase federal crop insurance, said Terry Miller, Grand Forks County Farm Service Agency executive director. “Here we are, running another disaster program,” Miller told farmers at the meeting. Rep. Collin Peterson, D-Minn., made a similar comment at a meeting held in Crookston earlier this fall. At that meeting, Peterson expressed concern about whether it will be possible to pass another farm bill. The change of heart resulting in federal disaster payments to farmers reflects the realization of members of Congress that the weather during the 2019 crop year was extremely severe and dealt farmers historic losses, Miller said after the meeting during an interview with a Herald reporter. The WHIP+ program provides assistance for crop disasters from snowstorms and/or flooding in counties that received a primary presidential or secretarial disaster designation. Farmers in non-designated counties can apply for WHIP+ benefits, but will be required to provide additional documentation showing the loss was the result of a 2018 or 2019 qualifying event, Miller said. For example, farmers can apply for WHIP+ if they had unharvested crops in the field that incurred yield loss from the Oct. 11, 2019, snowstorm. However, farmers whose crops were planted or prevented from being on or after Jan. 1, 2019, are not eligible for WHIP+ because they already received payments under the crop insurance Top-Up PP payments, Miller noted.. Meanwhile, reduced yields that resulted from other weather-related problems, such as drought, won’t qualify, he noted. For example, yields of some edible bean acres in Pembina County were lower than average this year because it was dry throughout the growing season. Those farmers won’t be eligible for the WHIP+ program, Miller said. Miller also gave farmers information about programs in the farm bill, including the Conservation Reserve Program, the Soil Health and Income Protection Pilot Program and Clear Lakes, Estuaries and Rivers Initiative. Miller also gave a brief run-down of the livestock disaster programs available to assist farmers. Farmers who had livestock losses between Oct. 1, 2018, and Dec. 31, 2019, resulting from several severe weather events, including flood, blizzard or extreme cold are eligible for the livestock indemnity program. The losses must be reported within 30 days and farmers must provide evidence of beginning inventory and losses. Proof of loss includes photos or testimony by a neighbor who is not related to the livestock producer. “We can’t pay you until we have proof,” Miller said. Not all details of the disaster relief programs have been received at the county FSA level, and county FSA committees likely will need to review the applications, Miller noted. Farmers who have questions about the 2018 Farm Bill programs or disaster assistance programs should make an appointment with their county FSA office, he said. Source - https://www.grandforksherald.com