On June 29th, Tom Vilsack, Secretary of USDA, announced that crop farmers and livestock producers have received more than $4 billion through the Emergency Relief Program (ERP) and the Emergency Livestock Relief Program (ELRP).  Funds were distributed under the Extending Government Funding and Delivery of Emergency Assistance Act of 2021.

A total of $10 billion was allocated to assist farmers suffering losses from wildfires, droughts, hurricanes and winter storms during 2020 and 2021.  Livestock farmers have received $590 million under the ELRP since March.

The federal government and hence, taxpayers, will continue to provide emergency relief to the agricultural community as global warming results in more extreme climatic events.  ERP and ELRP payments are an indirect cost of inaction on curbing greenhouse gas emissions both in the U.S. and worldwide.