WASHINGTON, D.C. (NAFB) – The House Agriculture Committee Tuesday approved reauthorization for WHIP+ in 2020 and 2021.

Chairman David Scott, a Democrat from Georgia, stated during the hearing, the severity of recent natural disasters “has required supplemental assistance, and that’s why I have prioritized extending the Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program Plus for 2020 and 2021.”

Known as WHIP, the program provides payments to producers to offset losses from hurricanes, wildfires, and other qualifying natural disasters that occurred in 2018 and 2019. WHIP+ covers the losses of the crops, trees, bushes and vines that occurred as a result of those disaster events, milk losses due to adverse weather conditions, and losses to on-farm stored commodities. The bill, approved by a voice vote of the committee, would expand coverage to include the western drought, last year’s derecho in Iowa, and another natural disaster in 2020 and 2021.

Representative Mike Thompson, a California Democrat, introduced the bill in January.