On Monday, the Oregon Legislature passed Senate Bill 892, directing the state Department of Agriculture to establish a disaster assistance program. Lawmakers allocated $40 million to a new, one-of-a-kind program to help mitigate economic losses farmers and ranchers suffered because of natural disasters in 2021, which included an ice storm, record heat, drought and wildfire smoke. SB 892 gives ODA the authority to contract with lending institutions to administer the disaster assistance program locally.

The loan program is designed to act as a bridge loan or direct assistance while the upcoming federal program is developed. ODA intends to begin the implementation process immediately to serve Oregon's agricultural community.

The $40 million in loans is part of $75 million in disaster aid approved during the 2021 second special session.

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“I commend the Oregon Legislature and Governor Kate Brown for their firm support of SB 892,” said ODA Director Alexis Taylor. “Over the last two years, Oregon has experienced one natural disaster after another, with the pandemic on top of all of that. I have heard from so many Oregon farmers and ranchers who are concerned how they will make it through next year. The funds provided by SB 892 will keep many operations afloat until the USDA develops its federal disaster program that is expected to be announced by mid-2022. All of us at ODA will work as fast as we can to develop an application and distribution process to get these dollars to those in need.”

USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack visited damaged berry farms in the Willamette Valley in August 2021, shortly after the heat dome event that brought temperatures up to 117 degrees. During his visit, he and Oregon Governor Kate Brown heard from local farmers and ranchers about the limitation and delay in federal disaster delivery. SB 892 allows ODA to contract with regional lenders to provide localized access to disaster assistance. The intent is to meet the unique needs of Oregon producers, for whom disaster assistance has not typically worked. 

The funding includes $40 million in a direct assistance program for producers who experienced less than average farm income in 2021 due to natural disasters, nearly $14 million for irrigation districts impacted by drought, millions in domestic well assistance, and millions for drought resiliency. The program also includes $5 million for grasshopper and cricket eradication.

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 “The Oregon Farm Bureau and our partners have been working toward this package since early this summer, and we are grateful that the Legislature was able to secure its passage today,” said Mary Anne Cooper, VP of Government Affairs at the Oregon Farm Bureau. “Relief to producers impacted by this year’s natural disasters cannot come soon enough, and we look forward to working with the Oregon Department of Agriculture to get the direct assistance program up and running. We particularly want to thank the Governor for her diligent pursuit of this natural disaster package, and our advocates in the Legislature for being such strong advocates for its passage. We also want to thank the producers who wrote their legislators, advocated at the legislative hearings, and had their legislators out to see the damage natural disasters have had on their operations. This package would not have happened without their strong advocacy."

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