Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program (WHIP+)

The Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program Plus (WHIP+) provides disaster payments to producers to offset losses from hurricanes, wildfires, and other qualifying natural disasters that occurred in the 2018 and 2019 calendar years. WHIP+ covers losses of crops, trees, bushes, and vines that occurred as a result of those disaster events.

Eligible Crops:

Eligible crops must be intended for the 2018, 2019, and 2020 crop years. They also must be eligible for either crop insurance or Noninsured Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) coverage, excluding crops intended for grazing since these losses are covered by other disaster recovery programs offered through FSA.

A list of crops covered by crop insurance is available through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) Actuarial Information Browser.

Crops must have suffered losses before they were harvested.

Eligible Locations:

Producers must have suffered a loss due to a qualifying disaster event in a primary county that received a qualifying Presidential Emergency Disaster Declaration or Secretarial Disaster Designation. An update in February 2020 expanded program eligibility to counties that experienced D3 and D4 drought in 2018 and 2019.

A full list of all eligible counties is available here. (Updated 3/2/2020)

Producers not in these counties may also be eligible, but must supply documentation establishing that crops were directly impacted by a qualifying disaster event.

2018 crop year losses will be paid at 100% of the calculated payment For the 2019 and 2020 crop years, an initial 50% of the calculated payment will be issued. After January 1, 2020, if appropriated funds remain, an additional payment up to the remaining 50% calculated payment will be paid. Payments for WHIP+ payment are based upon the expected value of the crop, the value of the crop harvested, the level of insurance coverage (as reflected in the WHIP factor), a payment factor and insurance payments received.

To apply, reach out to your local USDA service center.

The acreage report should cover total acreage, including tree count and prevented planted acres. FSA County Committees will review prevented planting acres for program benefits. Average adjusted gross income provisions do not apply to WHIP+ payments, however conservation compliance provisions do. 

• WHIP+ Fact Sheet

• June 2021 Press Release