The U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Brooke Rollins, announced on April 22 a $340.6 million disaster assistance package from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to support farmers, ranchers, and rural communities affected by natural disasters nationwide.

This initiative follows President Trump’s January executive order, which aimed to expedite assistance for communities. Secretary Rollins emphasized the urgency of delivering much-needed aid through the USDA Disaster Assistance Fund to help these communities recover.

“My heart goes out to the families who have lost loved ones, homes, businesses, and livelihoods,” Secretary Rollins stated. “President Trump prioritized rapid and fair relief for communities affected by disasters from the outset of his administration. USDA is delivering on this promise today, supporting state and local efforts to help these communities rebuild stronger than ever.”

Secretary Rollins made this announcement in North Dakota, where the USDA is allocating over $5 million to repair electric infrastructure damaged by severe storms and wildfires.

Additional funding will include $25 million for North Carolina and $18 million for Tennessee to assist communities impacted by hurricanes since 2022, including hurricanes Fiona, Ian, Idalia, and Helene. This funding will be used for:

• $5.8 million to support economic development for enterprises and farm producers.
• $15.6 million to help rural communities rebuild essential infrastructure.
• $20 million for restoring safe drinking water, waste disposal, and electric infrastructure.
• $2 million for technical assistance to towns seeking aid.

As part of today’s announcement, the Trump Administration is enhancing the Disaster Assistance Fund by streamlining processes to ensure that assistance is:

• Deployed quickly and efficiently.
• Managed responsibly and effectively.
• Responsive to the backlog of disaster assistance requests from communities.
• Inclusive by waiving restrictive eligibility criteria such as income limitations and population thresholds.

The USDA Disaster Assistance Fund will directly support rural families, farmers, and small business owners, helping them recover and rebuild stronger than before. The fund will be utilized for repairing homes, businesses, infrastructure, and critical services in the hardest-hit communities.

This announcement underscores the Administration’s commitment to assisting America’s rural communities in times of crisis. USDA remains focused on delivering swift and effective disaster relief, ensuring no community is left behind after natural disasters.

For more information on USDA disaster assistance programs, please visit the Rural Development Disaster Assistance webpage.

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