Senator Will Host Northey in Red River Valley on Friday, Working to Ensure Farmers Receive Trade and Disaster Assistance as Soon as Possible

CASS COUNTY, N.D. – Senator John Hoeven (Monday) announced that he will host U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Under Secretary Bill Northey in the Red River Valley on Friday to hear from producers and see the impacts of flooding and an early blizzard firsthand. This is part of the senator’s efforts with the administration and Northey, who oversees the Farm Service Agency (FSA), to ensure farmers receive trade and disaster assistance as soon as possible. Details of the visit will be announced in the coming days.

“We’ve been working with Under Secretary Northey, in coordination with farm groups and state leaders, to ensure damages from recent flooding and snowfall are quickly assessed and that FSA can make disaster payments to producers as soon as possible,” said Hoeven. “His visit to North Dakota will help him to understand how widespread these impacts are, supporting the state’s bid for a disaster designation from Agriculture Secretary Perdue. This designation will give farmers access to the vital assistance we secured under WHIP+, which will be an important addition to the support we’re providing through MFP.”

Northey’s visit to North Dakota builds on Hoeven’s work as the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee Chairman to provide a second round of trade assistance through the Market Facilitation Program (MFP) and ensure that the disaster relief legislation Congress passed in May was forward-looking to provide coverage for disasters throughout 2019. Further, Hoeven is supporting the State of North Dakota’s request for a Secretarial disaster designation, which would make producers eligible for assistance under the Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program Plus (WHIP+).