North Charlotte Today

Senator Thom Tillis has reached out to the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, calling for the swift distribution of disaster relief funds to assist farmers, ranchers, and rural communities hit hard by recent natural disasters. In a letter co-signed with Senator Jeanne Shaheen, Tillis highlights the urgency of disbursing the $23 billion approved by Congress in December to address the severe challenges faced by affected sectors in 2023 and 2024.

“These funds will benefit producers in every State—the natural disasters that struck farms and ranches in 2023 and 2024 affected a wide range of crops, livestock, and on-farm infrastructure,” emphasized the senators in their communication. They pointed out significant losses in their respective states, citing Hurricane Helene's impact on North Carolina and a freeze in New Hampshire's apple and peach orchards, which resulted in up to 100 percent crop losses in some cases.

The funding aims to support producers regardless of their insurance status, with a focus on smaller and diversified operations. The senators outlined that the supplemental aid package was designed with small farm states in mind and urged the Secretary to provide necessary technical assistance to non-insured producers seeking funds.

“As the Department implements all of the disaster assistance programs, we stand ready to assist you in this effort to advance our shared priority of helping farmers and rural communities recover and thrive,” the senators concluded in the letter.

This appeal is part of continued bipartisan pressure, following an earlier letter dated March 10th, urging for the immediate allocation of the relief funds. The comprehensive assistance is deemed essential for the recovery and future resilience of agricultural and rural communities across the nation.