WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven today announced that improvements to the Emergency Relief Program (ERP), the row crop disaster aid. Specifically, the senator has been working to resolve an issue where some producers with 2020 prevent plant claims had those losses inadvertently excluded from their pre-filled ERP application.

The Farm Service Agency will be issuing corrected applications to affected producers in August. At the same time, FSA will begin sending applications to producers for whom additional information was needed to determine 2021 losses, including producers utilizing the Supplemental Coverage Option (SCO) and Enhanced Coverage Option (ECO). The agency is also extending the deadline for producers to submit their phase 1 ERP applications to at least 30 days after the final mailings are sent.

 In addition, Hoeven continues to urge USDA officials to resolve issues regarding the adjusted gross income (AGI) calculation used to determine payment limit eligibility.

USDA also began sending pre-filled applications for ERP phase one to producers in May, with payments having started last month. To date, North Dakota producers have received $928 million in ERP assistance. Details will be released later this year for ERP phase two, which will compensate producers not paid under the first phase for their eligible losses.