WASHINGTON, D.C. – Right now, Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) launched The subsequent assertion after The house Agriculture Committee superior his legal guidelines, the WHIP+ Reauthorization Act, To current a lot-needed aid to agriculture producers who expert impacts from pure disasters in 2020 and 2021.

Rep. Newhouse and Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA), Co-Chairs of the Congressional Wine Caucus, launched this legal guidelines in January alongside Members from west coast states that have been impacted by wildhearths So as to supply esdespatchedial assist to winegrape developers whose crops have been destroyed by smoke taint.

“Winegrape developers and small farms throughout Central Washington and the West are all too Conversant Inside the damage that wildhearths and smoke can do to their lives and livelihood,” said Rep. Newhouse. “WHIP+ is a needed useful resource For A lot of producers as they proceed to recuperate from final yr’s devastating wildhearths in our area – wright hereas dealing with new menaces Daily. I am glad to see this a lot-needed legal guidelines accredited by the Agriculture Committee, And that i’ll work To Guarantee it’s thought-about on The house flooring as quickly as potential.”

“From extreme hearths to historic drought, our district and our nation have seen devastating disasters this yr and final yr. The Federal authorities should current every system and useful resource potential as we rebuild. That options assisting household farmers and producers who had their crops ruined by smoke damage Inside the 2020 hearths in our district,” said Rep. Thompson.

Click on right here to study the textual content material of the invoice.

Quotes from assisting groups are under.

“Wildhearths and the potential for smoke publicity on winegrapes Is An monumental menace and sadly, we anticipate to see extra up and down the West Coast. Congressman Newhouse has been listening rigorously, and this aid Is esdespatchedial to our producers and the nation’s wine enterprise. Congressman Newhouse’s legal guidelines is A critical win for Washington’s winegrape developers, and we thank him, however we furtherly name on The The rest of Congress to again this needed legal guidelines,” said Vicky Scharlau, Government Director, Washington Winedevelopers Affiliation.

“Climate occasions and hearths are continuous menaces to Pacific Northwest tree fruit orchards. The reauthorization and enlargement of the WHIP program will probably current A mannequin new a system to developers as they search to handle the losses Associated to these menaces. We thank Recurrentative Newhouse for persevering with to advocate for our developers in Congress,” said Mark Powers, President, Northwest Horticultural Council.

“On behalf of Washington’s wine enterprise, I am grateful to Congressman Newhouse for his management To current a lot-needed aid to our enterprise Who’re nonetheless working to recuperate from the impacts of final yr’s wildhearths. With this yr’s hearth season properly underway, this legal guidelines Might not be shifting forward at a extra esdespatchedial time. We urge Congress to assist this important legal guidelines,” said Josh McDonald, Government Director, Washington Wine Institute.

“NMPF is grateful that the ANS accredited by The house Agriculture Committee reauthorizes for calendar yrs 2020 and 2021 the Wildhearths and Hurricanes Indemnity and Milk Loss (WHIP-ML) Program which currents indemnity assist to dairy producers for milk that was dumped or completely differentwise Faraway from enterprise channels As a Outcome of of weather-related pure disasters collectively with hurricanes, floods, and snowstorms,” said Jim Mulhern, President and CEO, Nationwide Milk Producers Federation.

Background:

Rep. Newhouse first launched the WHIP+ Reauthorization Act in November 2020 and relaunched it in January 2021.

The invoice was amended by the Agriculture Committee to reauthorize WHIP+ for 2020 and 2021 disasters and To current aid for a broad differ of occasions, collectively with wildhearths, hurricanes, drought, extreme winds or derechos, freeze, polar vortexes, extreme warmth, and smoke taint. The amended legal guidelines furtherly modified the eligibility requirements for drought from a D3 declaration to a D2 declaration for A minimal of 8 consecutive weeks.

Reps. Newhouse and Thompson co-chair the Congressional Wine Caucus, a bipartisan group of 117 Members from throughout America that advocate for the wine group from grape to glass. In September 2020, wine enterprise officers despatched a letter to the U.S. House of Recurrentatives outlining The outcomes of wildhearths on the West Coast wine group and urging Congress to reauthorize WHIP+ for 2020.

The further Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act of 2019 accredited the Wildhearth and Hurricane Indemnity Program Plus (WHIP+) To assist agricultural producers affected by pure disasters in 2018 and 2019.  WHIP+ covers losses of crops, timber, bushes, and vines that occurred Due to hurricanes, wildhearths, and completely different qualifying pure disasters. Click on right here to study extra Regarding the WHIP+ program.

In Washington state, tright here are Greater than 1,000 wineries and over 300 winegrape developers. With 16 distinctive AVAs throughout the state, Washington’s wine enterprise proceeds to develop and produce extreme-extreme quality varieties That are loved All by way of the place Inside the world. As properly as, Washington State College Is Amongst The numerous nation’s main viticulture evaluation institutions And positively one of solely 14 universities in America to supply a Viticulture & Enology diploma.

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