Padilla, Schiff Introduce Bill to Create Permanent Specialty Crop Disaster Assistance Program

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff (both D-Calif.) introduced the Ensuring Disaster Recovery and Resilience for Specialty Crops Act, which would establish a permanent relief program to provide support for farmers who lost specialty crops due to natural disasters, economic crises, and market disruptions. As Congress routinely provides relief for farmers impacted by natural disasters, the lack of a permanent program has resulted in bureaucratic hurdles that make access to funding difficult for specialty crop growers.

"California's farming communities are disproportionately impacted by natural disasters," said Senator Padilla. "After a disaster strikes, our growers, producers, and consumers need and deserve relief quickly. Our bill would strengthen the safety net for America's food producers to help them get back on their feet in the wake of a disaster."

"California continues to lead the way in specialty crops, growing nearly half of the nation's vegetables and over three-quarters of the country's fruits and nuts," said Senator Schiff. "As California's first senator to serve on the Senate Agriculture Committee in over 30 years, I'm fighting to address the needs of specialty crop farmers, which are very different than those of the commodity crops of the Midwest and the South. I'm proud to introduce this bill to expand federal funding and bolster programs to better serve farmers in the Golden State."

The Ensuring Disaster Recovery and Resilience for Specialty Crops Act would establish a permanent disaster program tailored to specialty crops. USDA and Congress have repeatedly had to provide disaster relief to growers on an ad hoc basis. A permanent program would allow growers to receive relief through a consistent application process. Farmers and ranchers across the country have long had access to a plethora of disaster programs, but specialty crop farmers deserve a dedicated program that works well for them as well.

California is the fifth largest supplier of food in the world - home to a $61 billion agriculture industry producing over 400 commodities, growing more than a third of the nation's vegetables and three-quarters of its fruit and nut crops. Last month, Padilla condemned the House-passed Farm Bill and stressed the urgency for a farm bill that supports farmers, growers, ranchers, and consumers across the nation. In August 2023, Padilla, alongside the late Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Representatives Mike Thompson (D-Calif.-04) and Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.-01), introduced the Agriculture Emergency Relief Act to create a permanent structure at the Department of Agriculture to provide relief for farmers who lost crops due to natural disasters.

The bill text is available here.

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