The Almond Alliance is pressing USDA on a lack of transparency and delays in distributing disaster assistance for the 2022 crop year.
In a letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, Almond Alliance President and CEO Aubrey Bettencourt stressed that “the urgency and gravity of this situation cannot be overstated.” Widespread freeze damage, combined with high input costs, supply chain disruptions and limited crop insurance options, have left many farmers vulnerable.
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“To label the disaster response as inadequate would be an understatement,” she argued.
USDA announced in May the Emergency Relief Program would expedite the assistance, but almond growers have yet to get any details on a timeline. In “stark contrast,” the Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program distributed funds in under two months, noted Bettencourt.
