USDA Farm Service Agency Offers Disaster Assistance Programs

USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) State Executive Director Gene Davidson reminds crop and livestock producers throughout Tennessee who have recently experienced severe damage from tornadoes and flooding that there are FSA programs available to assist with recovery.

"The damage done by the recent severe weather has made things very difficult for many of our farmers and ranchers. The disaster assistance programs FSA has available may be an important first step for producers in the recovery process,” said Davidson.

FSA administers several important programs that help producers recover from disaster damage and livestock deaths. Among the key programs available to address impacts from disasters are:

• Emergency Conservation Program (ECP)—provides funding for farmers to rehabilitate farmland damaged by a natural disaster (check with local FSA Office for sign-up periods, which are set by county FSA committees) http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/webapp?area=home&subject=copr&topic=ecp

• Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP)—provides assistance to livestock producers for livestock deaths from a natural disaster event (must file a notice of loss within 30 calendar days of the loss event or of when the loss of livestock was apparent to the participant) http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/webapp?area=home&subject=diap&topic=lip

• Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP)— provides emergency relief to producers of livestock, honey bees, and farm-raised fish, and covers losses not adequately covered by any other disaster program (must file notice of loss within the earlier of 30 calendar days of when the loss is apparent to the participant, or 30 calendar days after the end of the calendar year in which the loss occurred) http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/webapp?area=home&subject=diap&topic=elap

• Tree Assistance Program (TAP)—provides assistance to orchardists and nursery tree growers for losses due to a natural disaster (must file notice of loss within 90 calendar days from the date of the disaster event or the date when the loss of trees, bushes or vines is apparent) http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/webapp?area=home&subject=diap&topic=tap

• Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP)—provides assistance to eligible owners of nonindustrial private forest land in order to carry out emergency measures to restore land damaged by a natural disaster (check with local FSA Office for sign-up periods, which are set by county FSA committees) http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/webapp?area=home&subject=diap&topic=efrp

• Noninsured Disaster Assistance Program (NAP)—provides assistance to eligible producers affected by a natural disaster, covering noninsurable crop losses and prevented planting (must file notice of loss within 15 calendar days of date of loss or of the date damage to the crop or loss of production becomes apparent to the participant) http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/webapp?area=home&subject=diap&topic=nap

• Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments (SURE) Program—provides assistance for crop production and/or quality losses due to a natural disaster http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/webapp?area=home&subject=diap&topic=sure

FSA also offers loan programs that may provide assistance:

• Emergency Loan Program - FSA provides emergency loans to help producers recover from production and physical losses due to drought, flooding, other natural disasters, or quarantine. Emergency loans may be made to farmers and ranchers who own or operate land located in a county declared by the President as a disaster area or designated by the Secretary of Agriculture as a disaster area or quarantine area (for physical losses only, the FSA Administrator may authorize emergency loan assistance). Emergency loan funds may be used to: restore or replace essential property; pay all or part of production costs associated with the disaster year; pay essential family living expenses; reorganize the farming operation; and refinance certain debts. http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/webapp?area=home&subject=fmlp&topic=efl

Visit your local Farm Service Agency Office for more information regarding these programs.

Editor's Note:  Please see attached USDA Fact Sheet for Disaster Assistance for Individuals, Small Businesses and Farmers.