Newhouse, Others Look To Reauthorize Emergency Relief Program

On Thursday, Dan Newhouse, Chair of the Western Caucus and 21 other lawmakers introduced legislation to reauthorized the Emergency Relief Program, formerly known as WHIP+.  The lawmakers said the ERP will offer critical assistance to producers who suffered crop damage because of natural disasters in 2022.  They added ERP is a vital program providing desperately needed payments following wildfires, drought, hurricanes, excessive heat, derechos, freeze, polar vortex and other qualifying natural disasters.

“The Emergency Relief Program is a necessary resource for Central Washington farmers as they continue to recover from this year’s late spring, which significantly impacted tree fruit production,” Newhouse noted. “I am pleased to introduce this legislation and encourage my colleagues to support this important program that will provide much-needed assistance to Central Washington’s growers so they can continue producing the high-quality Washington crops Americans enjoy for many years to come.”

Click Here to read Thursday's legislation in its entirety.