Hinds Today

U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith has voted in favor of a significant aid package aimed at supporting farmers facing economic challenges across the United States, including those in Mississippi. The $10 billion market loss assistance is part of an agreement reached after extensive negotiations to prevent a government shutdown and address both natural and economic disasters.

Hyde-Smith, who holds positions on the Senate Agriculture Committee and Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, expressed her approval of the finalized aid. "The bottom line is that Congress is finally doing the right thing for America’s farmers and rural Americans," she stated. She emphasized that this assistance could be crucial for farmers who might otherwise struggle to plant crops in the coming year.

Highlighting the urgency of implementing these measures, Hyde-Smith said, “This assistance should serve as a lifeline while, with some determination and focus, we can finally enact a new Farm Bill that includes updated safety net programs for our farmers.” She also noted her anticipation of working with incoming Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins to ensure prompt delivery of disaster aid.

In collaboration with incoming Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman and incoming Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins, Hyde-Smith has been advocating for congressional action to provide ad hoc assistance to avert an impending economic crisis in rural areas.

Nationally, crop losses have surpassed $31 billion for 2024 across major commodities such as cotton, soybeans, corn, rice, and peanuts. In Mississippi alone, these losses have averaged $145.04 per acre over more than 3.62 million acres—totaling at least $525.8 million this year.

The legislation also offers natural disaster relief benefits for Mississippi's agricultural sector affected by various natural disasters between 2023 and 2024. These include freezes, tornadoes, severe storms, flooding, high winds, and droughts as certified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Specific allocations within the bill include $357 million for the Emergency Forest Restoration Program, $828 million for the Emergency Conservation Program, and $920 million for the Emergency Watershed Protection Program.

Leading up to this legislative success, Hyde-Smith engaged with stakeholders in Mississippi and advocated strongly during Senate hearings for both natural disaster relief and market loss assistance nationwide.

Finally joining forces with Boozman and House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA), Hyde-Smith indicated their collective stance against any supplemental spending packages lacking substantial support for farmers' economic needs.