Rep. Austin Scott Urges USDA Secretary to Provide Maximum Relief to Farmers After Debby

WASHINGTON, D.C.-- House Agriculture Committee Vice Chair Austin Scott (GA-08) today joined colleagues Rep. Earl L. "Buddy" Carter (GA-01) and Senators Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock in sending a bipartisan, bicameral letter to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack, urging him to ensure that all Georgia farmers impacted by Tropical Storm Debby receive the maximum support possible from the Federal Crop Insurance Program.

"Georgia's number one industry is agriculture, so the damage inflicted by Tropical Storm Debby wasn't just a blow to our farmers, it was a blow to our state's economy," Rep. Scott said. "Lanier, Coffee, Atkinson, Echols and Berrien counties were within the tropical wind corridor, and additional data provided shows that rainfall in the area was high enough for these counties to receive support following the storm. These farmers are suffering from the impact, and my colleagues and I are urging Secretary Vilsack and the USDA's Risk Management Agency to rectify this issue."

Many Georgia farmers purchase supplemental insurance such as the Hurricane Insurance Protection-Wind Index (HIP-WI) Endorsement and Tropical Storm Option to prepare for potential damage from natural disasters. While the USDA indicated that some counties in Georgia were damaged during the storm, they did not include all counties impacted, leaving many farmers without the insurance relief they pay for.

"Farmers and growers deserve certainty from their federal insurance programs that their crops will be protected against natural disasters," said Rep. Carter. "It is critical that USDA use reliable and accurate data to account for the damages caused by Tropical Storm Debby, so that it can maximize support for the hardworking Georgians who feed the nation."

The letter asked Secretary Vilsack to ensure that Georgia growers receive the maximum support possible under the insurance they have purchased from the Federal Crop Insurance Program and that HIP-WI payments are based on accurate information. It also asked that USDA's Risk Management Agency (RMA) provide weekly briefings to staff until the issue is resolved.

Rep. Scott chairs the House Agriculture Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities, Risk Management, and Credit.

The full text of the letter can be found here.

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