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Natural resources

USDA Announces Emergency Conservation and Forest Restoration Programs for Greene County

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) has announced the acceptance of applications for the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) and Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP) in Greene County to address damages from a tornado that occurred on May 16, 2025. These programs aim to provide cost-share and technical assistance to producers to restore farmland and private forestland damaged by the disaster. The signup period begins on September 10, 2025, and ends on November 10, 2025.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) provides cost-share and technical assistance to producers to restore farmland to pre-disaster conditions.
  • ECP applicants can receive up to 75% of the cost of the approved restoration activity, with a maximum cost share of $500,000 per natural disaster event.
  • Approved ECP practices include removing debris from farmland (EC1), grading, shaping, releveling, or similar measures (EC2), replacing or restoring permanent fences (EC3), and restoring conservation structures and other installations (EC4).
  • Conservation concerns present on the land prior to the qualifying natural disaster event are not eligible for ECP assistance.
  • The Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP) provides financial cost-share and technical assistance to restore nonindustrial private forestland (NIPF) damaged by a qualifying natural disaster.
  • Approved EFRP practices include hardwood forest restoration (EF1), softwood forest restoration (EF2), and mixed forest restoration (EF3).
  • Assistance for EFRP is not provided upfront; cost-share is reimbursed at no more than 75% of the lesser of the actual costs incurred or allowable cost after a restoration activity is complete.
  • To participate in EFRP, eligible applicants must meet specific requirements, including completing restoration to meet technical standards, documenting and keeping records of costs incurred, and having existing tree cover or had tree cover immediately before the natural disaster occurred.
  • The land must be owned or leased by a nonindustrial private individual, group, association, corporation, or other private legal entity with definitive decision-making authority over the land.

Statistics:

  • The ECP and EFRP signup period begins on September 10, 2025, and ends on November 10, 2025.
  • The maximum cost share for ECP is $500,000 per natural disaster event.
  • The maximum cost share for EFRP is also $500,000 per natural disaster event.
  • ECP cost-share payment must be spent within 60 days.
  • EFRP participants are expected to perform restoration and conservation practices based on the FSA-848A Cost-Share Agreement and restoration plan provided.

Sources:

  • USDA Farm Service Agency, "Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) and Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP) in Greene County" (Source: USDA website, no date provided)
  • USDA Farm Service Agency, "Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) Approved Practices" (Source: USDA website, no date provided)
  • USDA Farm Service Agency, "Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP) Approved Practices" (Source: USDA website, no date provided)
  • USDA Farm Service Agency, "Cost-Share Agreement and Restoration Plan" (Source: USDA website, no date provided)

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