WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) and Dan Sullivan (R-AK) reintroduced the Reimbursement Transportation Cost Payment (RTCP) Revitalization Act, legislation to secure additional funding for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) RTCP Program. The RTCP program enables geographically disadvantaged farmers and ranchers in Hawaii, Alaska, and other insular areas to receive reimbursements for costs incurred when transporting supplies such as feed, fertilizer, and equipment parts. This legislation also increases the amount of funding these producers can receive.
“Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural producers work tirelessly to provide healthy and fresh produce for their communities, and those located in geographically disadvantaged areas deserve to be fairly compensated for the lengths at which they go to transport supplies,” said Senator Hirono. “As we continue working toward increased agricultural sustainability, I am glad to reintroduce this bipartisan legislation to support food producers in Hawaii, Alaska, and other insular areas, helping to ensure that local producers can continue their work as valuable food sources in their communities.”
“Alaska’s farmers and ranchers face greater obstacles getting their goods to market due to our state’s vast size, many remote communities, and general lack of infrastructure,” said Sen. Sullivan. “I’m glad to join my colleagues in Hawaii to support a vital USDA program that makes it possible for these hard-working Alaskans to support our economy and feed their fellow Americans from the bounty of our great state.”
The RTCP program was established in the 2008 Farm Bill in recognition of the increased costs producers face in geographically disadvantaged areas. USDA began administering the program in 2010 and throughout its history, demand for this popular program has substantially exceeded available funds. In addition to Hawaii and Alaska, the program is also available to farmers, ranchers, and producers in Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Republic of Palau, and the Virgin Islands.
Due to the increase in both demand for the program as well as costs for producers, the RTCP Revitalization Act aims to secure additional funding for the program. Specifically, the bill would:
This legislation is endorsed by Adaptations, Inc.; Big Tree Farm; Blue Ocean Barns Inc.; Commercial & Business Lending; Farm Link Hawaii; Hawaii Cattlemen's Council; Hawaii Farm Bureau; Hawaii Food Industry Association; Hawaii Good Food Alliance; Hawaiian Vinegar and Spice Company; Hoola Veteran Services; Kohana Family Farms; Kokua Market; Kuahiwi Ranch; Malama Kauai; Mana Up; North Shore EVP; Oahu Agricultural Conservation Association; Piko Provisions; Slow Money Hawaii; Synergistic Hawaii Agriculture Council; Tamura Super Market; The Kohala Center; and Ulupono Initiative.
“We deeply appreciate the leadership of Hawai‘i’s Senators in reintroducing this crucial legislation to support our local farmers and ranchers,” said Murray Clay, president of Ulupono Initiative, a Hawai‘i-focused impact investing firm. “Hawai‘i is about 2,400 miles from the continental United States and therefore is unusually burdened by transportation costs, creating unique challenges for our agricultural community. By expanding the number of agricultural producers who can participate in the RTCP program and increasing the amount of funding they can receive, this bill directly addresses one of the most significant cost barriers facing the Islands’ food producers. This would help hundreds of Hawai‘i farms with substantial savings on eligible transportation costs and, as a result, support their long-term viability as our state continues to work towards our agricultural sustainability goals.”
In addition to Senators Hirono and Sullivan, the legislation was also cosponsored by Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI).
The full text of the legislation is available here. A one-page summary of the bill is available here.
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