In a letter of July 22, U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA) urged U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins to ensure the agency delivers disaster assistance from the American Relief Act of 2025 to California farmers. In the letter, the Senator emphasized the importance of ensuring disaster assistance is fairly distributed amongst states, including California agricultural communities, to get the help they need to recover from natural disasters.
Specifically, the letter urges the USDA to:
- Reconsider the parameters dictating how USDA is providing block grants so that states that faced severe losses due to disaster, including California, are eligible for a block grant.
- Allow specialty crop and diversified farmers to easily and effectively access disaster relief as it develops the formula for the second round of the Supplemental Disaster Relief Program.
- Share information about how it plans to implement language so that uninsured farmers receive adequate outreach and assistance in receiving relief.
For more information, contact RCRC Senior Vice President of Government Affairs, Mary-Ann Warmerdam.