Hurricane Helene Agricultural Resources

The USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA) has several programs to assist agricultural producers affected by Hurricane Helene. 
 

Emergency Conservation Program (ECP)

The ECP is mainly for fence and field repairs needed due to hurricane damage. 

  • For crop fields and pastures it covers debris removal from fields such as sand/silt, trees, rocks.  It also covers grading and releveling the field.
  • For livestock producers it repairs or replaces fencing lost from downed trees and flooding 
  • This program is cost share assistance and is paid after the applicant finishes the work and turns in their bills.  There are other types of conservation structures also covered.

Emergency Forestry Restoration Program (EFRP)

The EFRP is for damage to private forestry land for those with a managed forest.

  • it is cost share assistance to help clean up and replant/restore the forest
  • Tracts must be at least 1 acre and 120 ft wide with a forestry plan
  • You must replant to restore the forest according to a forestry plan 
  • Part of the application process is meeting with a forester to find out what practices are needed to clean up and restore your forest
  • This program is cost share assistance and is paid after the applicant finishes the work and turns in their bills.
     

The FSA also has the following programs available.
 

Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP)

Nap is crop coverage for crops that don’t have a federal crop insurance policy and applicant must have obtained NAP coverage for the crop year by the application for coverage date for that crop or crops in which the loss was incurred.

  • Covers small fruit and vegetable losses in our area that were due to hurricane or if the producer had other disaster related losses before the hurricane.  Most of these applicants have been paid for their losses.

Tree Assistance Program (TAP)

TAP is for the replacement and rehab of trees, bushes, or vines. (Orchards, Vineyards, and Nurseries)

  • Applies to orchards, vineyards, nurseries
  • Applications are taken for individual stands that you have a loss on based on normal mortality.
  • This is to help replace the dead and damaged trees and replant, it is not a payment for what has been lost.  This program is cost share assistance and is paid after the applicant finishes the work and turns in their bills.

Emergency Livestock Assistance Program (ELAP)

ELAP is for losses to honeybees, aquaculture, and some livestock situations.

  • Assistance to help cover above normal costs to transport livestock to feed and/or transport feed/forage to livestock in hurricane-impacted states. 
  • Assistance to help cover above normal costs to haul water to livestock.
  • Also covers losses to fish
  • This is a direct payment for losses.

Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP)

LIP covers livestock deaths above normal mortality, death must be directly cause by the hurricane.

  • must provide documentation (pictures) or third party certification for the deaths 
  • The deaths must have been directly caused by the disaster event 
  • This is a direct payment for losses.