USDA Announces Major Expansion of Disaster Assistance for Farmers Starting November 24Th. This will be a significant expansion of federal aid to agricultural producers recovering from natural disasters in 2023 and 2024.
In a virtual media call on Monday, USDA officials outlined the rollout of “Stage Two” of the Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (SDRP), alongside the launch of two additional targeted relief efforts: the Milk Loss Program and the On-Farm Stored Commodity Loss Program.
Key Dates for Producers According to Farm Production and Conservation Under Secretary Richard Fordyce, the signup period for all three programs begins this coming Monday, November 24, 2025.
Stage Two: Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (SDRP)
Deputy Agriculture Secretary Stephen Vaden emphasized that this new phase is designed to fill the gaps left by previous assistance. While Stage One provided initial relief, Stage Two specifically targets “shallow losses” and quality losses that were not previously covered.
- Coverage Years: Calendar years 2023 and 2024.
- Scope: This stage addresses revenue, quality, or production losses due to qualifying natural disasters (such as wildfires, hurricanes, floods, and excessive heat) that may not have met the threshold for standard crop insurance indemnities.
Targeted Support: Milk and Stored Commodities
In addition to the broader SDRP, the USDA is launching two specific programs to address unique loss scenarios:
- Milk Loss Program: This provides compensation to dairy operations for milk that had to be dumped or removed from the commercial market without compensation due to qualifying weather events (e.g., power outages, impassable roads).
- On-Farm Stored Commodity Loss Program: This assists producers who lost harvested crops stored in on-farm structures that were damaged or destroyed by natural disasters.
