Hinds Today

U.S. Senators Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith, along with U.S. Representatives Bennie Thompson, Trent Kelly, Michael Guest, and Mike Ezell, have penned a letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, urging swift action to assist private forest landowners in Mississippi. The lawmakers are seeking access to unobligated emergency forest restoration funds to address damages caused by extreme drought and southern pine beetle infestations.

In their letter to Secretary Vilsack, the delegation highlighted the urgent need for assistance through the Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP), especially since all 82 counties in Mississippi have been designated as natural disaster areas by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

The Mississippi Congressional Delegation emphasized the severity of the situation, pointing out that the state has already suffered significant losses. According to preliminary reports, Mississippi has faced the loss of over 12.5 million trees, including nearly 80,000 acres of pine mortality, and an estimated $96 million in timber losses due to the drought and insect infestations.

The lawmakers' request aligns with the congressional directive outlined in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024, emphasizing the importance of utilizing available funds to assist landowners impacted by natural disasters such as drought and insect infestations. They urged the USDA to work with relevant agencies to expedite the delivery of program assistance to affected landowners.

The delegation also called for the examination of all possible options to provide advance EFRP payments to eligible landowners, similar to the support offered through the Emergency Conservation Program. By ensuring swift access to financial assistance, the lawmakers believe that affected landowners will be able to take the necessary steps to restore forest health and mitigate future risks.

In conclusion, the Mississippi Congressional Delegation's letter to Secretary Vilsack underscores the critical need for immediate action to support private forest landowners in the state as they work to recover from the devastating impact of the recent natural disasters.