G/AG/N/USA/134  
 
10 July  2020 
(20-4770) Page: 1/3 
Committee on Agriculture  Original: English  
 
 NOTIFICATION  
The following submission, dated  10 July  2020, is being circulated at the request of the delegation 
of the United States  of America . The notification concerns new or modified domestic support 
measures exempt from reduction ( Table DS:2 ). 
 
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  Table  DS:2  
DOMESTIC SUPPORT: UNITED  STATES OF AMERICA  
Notification under Article 18:3 of the Agreement:  
New or modified domestic support measures  exempt from reduction  
___________________________________________________________________________  
 
(1) FULL TITLE OF MEASURE : 
2017 Wildfires and Hurricanes Indemnity Program (WHIP)  
 
(2) DOMESTIC LEGISLA TION REFERE NCE:  
Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 (P.L. 115 -123) 
 
(3) DETAILED DESCRIP TION OF MEASURE WITH  REFERENCE TO CRITER IA: 
Provisions are consistent with criteria in Annex 2, paragraph 8.  
  
Outlays under the programme meet the general criteria of Annex 2, paragraph 1 (support is 
provided through a publicly -funded government programme and does not involve transfers from 
consumers, and there is no price support to producers; additionally, there  are no trade -distorting 
effects or effects on production).  
  
WHIP provided payments to agricultural producers for necessary expenses related to crop, tree, 
bush, and vine losses related to the consequences of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Maria, and other 
hurricanes and wildfires occurring in calendar year 2017. Eligible wildfire losses included losses 
from fire, mudslides, and heavy smoke. Hurricane losses included losses from related conditions 
such as excessive rain and flooding in counties with qualifying primary Presidential Emergency 
Disaster Declaration or Secretarial Disaster designations. Eligible commodities included crops, 
trees, bushes, and vines. Compensation was based on individual losses and calculated based on a 
formula that accounted for the ex pected value of the lost crop, the value of the crop harvested, 
insurance coverage, and insurance payments received.  
  
Uninsured producers of eligible crops could receive a WHIP payment if the production loss 
exceeded 35 % of production. The expected crop value used in the calculation of the WHIP 
payment for uninsured producers is based on an Olympic average yield (5 -year average dropping 
the low and high years). The type or quantity of future production is not required or specified, 
although all producers who received a WHIP payment are required to purchase crop insurance or 
Noninsured Assistance Crop Loss Program (NAP) coverage for the next two crop years.  
  
WHIP payments to producers with federal crop insurance or coverage under the Noninsured Crop 
Disast er Assistance Program (NAP) are notified in supporting table DS:6 because the production 
loss for these producers could be lower than 30 % depending on the level of insurance or NAP 
coverage.  
  
(4) COST OF MEASURE:  
USD 152 million was paid to uninsured producers for eligible losses during calendar year 2017 for 
crops intended to be harvested during the 2017 or 2018 crop year.  
 
(5) DATE OF ENTRY IN TO EFFECT:  
18 July 2018 . 
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  (6) PERIOD OF APPLIC ATION:  
The Bipartisan Budget Act made funding for thi s program available through 31 December 2019.  
 
(7) PRODUCTS TO PRIN CIPALLY BENEFIT (IF ANY INDIVIDUAL PRODU CT(S)):  
Crops, trees, bushes, and vines.  
 
 
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