USDA Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) provides emergency funding and technical assistance for farmers and ranchers to rehabilitate farmland damaged by natural disasters and for carrying out emergency water conservation measures in periods of severe drought. Funding for ECP is appropriated by Congress.

ECP Update

Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer announced that there is $87.5 million in Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) funding for  farmers and ranchers to repair land damage created by natural disasters in 34 states since September 2007.  Producers can use the funding for removal of farmland debris, restoring fences and repairing conservation structures which were caused or damaged by floods, and for carrying out emergency water conservation measures in response to severe drought.

A detailed list of counties and associated specific disasters is on FSA's Web site at: http://www.fsa.usda.gov/Internet/FSA_File/ecpcounties.pdf. A national map with a visual depiction of the affected counties and disaster types is on the FSA Web site at: http://www.fsa.usda.gov/Internet/FSA_File/ecpmap.pdf

 How is the Program Administered?

ECP is administered by state and county FSA committees. Subject to availability of funds, locally-elected county committees are authorized to implement ECP for all disasters except drought, which is authorized at the national office of FSA.

What Land is Eligible?

The program will pay for up to 75 percent of the cost of reforestation, rehabilitation, and related measures of up to $150 per acre. The provisions state that during the 5-year period beginning on the date of the loss the forest landowner must:
1. reforest the lost forest acres, in accordance with a plan approved by the Secretary that is appropriate for the forest type;
2. use best management practices on the forest land of the landowner, in accordance with the best management practices of the Secretary for the applicable State; and
3. exercise good stewardship on the forest land of the landowner, while maintaining the land in a forested state.

County FSA committees determine land eligibility based on on-site inspections of damage, taking into account the type and extent of damage. For land to be eligible, the natural disaster must create new conservation problems that, if untreated, would: 

• impair or endanger the land;
• materially affect the land’s productive capacity;
• represent unusual damage which, except for wind erosion, is not the type likely to recur frequently in the same area; and
• be so costly to repair that Federal assistance is or will be required to return the land to productive agricultural use.

Conservation problems existing prior to the applicable disaster are ineligible for ECP assistance.

How much money can I receive?

ECP program participants receive cost-share assistance of up to 75 percent of the cost to implement approved emergency conservation practices, as determined by county FSA committees.

Individual or cumulative requests for cost-sharing of $50,000 or less per person, per disaster are approved at the county committee level. Cost-sharing from $50,001 to $100,000 is approved at the state committee level. Cost-sharing over $100,000 must be approved by FSA’s national office.

Technical assistance may be provided by USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service.

What Can I Use the Money For?

More specifically the program states that the financial assistance will pay up to 75 percent of the costs for:
(1) cleaning up structures on private land; and
(2) reimbursing private nonindustrial forest landowners for costs associated with downed timber removal and disposing of debris and animal carcasses that could adversely affect health and safety on non-Federal land in a hurricane-affected county with a maximum payment of $150 per acre.

To rehabilitate farmland, ECP program participants may implement emergency conservation practices, such as:

• remove debris;
• restore fences and conservation structures; and
• provide water for livestock in drought situations.

Other conservation measures may be authorized by county FSA committees, with approval from state FSA committees and FSA’s national office.

When Is ECP Assistance Available?

Producers should check with their local county FSA offices regarding ECP sign-up periods, which are set by county FSA committees.

For More Information

Further information and help in applying for emergency assistance is available at the FSA county office serving your area. To locate your nearest FSA county office, click HERE.