South Carolina farmers affected by hurricanes in 2018 can now apply for assistance through the Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program Plus (WHIP+), administered by the United States Department of Agriculture. More than $3 billion is available to U.S. farmers through the disaster relief package passed in early June.
“Our farmers have endured many hardships at the hands of Mother Nature over the last few years. We are grateful that these funds have become available and hope they will provide a lifeline to folks in need,” said SCFB President Harry Ott.
The following S.C. counties that were declared disaster areas are eligible to apply for assistance: Aiken, Bamberg, Berkeley, Calhoun, Charleston, Chesterfield, Clarendon, Colleton, Darlington, Dillon, Dorchester, Florence, Georgetown, Horry, Lancaster, Lee, Marion, Marlboro, Orangeburg, Richland and Williamsburg. Additionally, farmers in counties that did not receive a primary disaster declaration may still apply, but will be required to provide supporting documentation to establish that the crops were directly affected by a qualifying disaster loss.
Farmers should contact their local USDA Service Center or visit farmers.gov/recover/whip-plus for a complete listing of eligibility requirements and payment limitations.