EASTLAND, Texas, March 28, 2022 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) County Executive Director John Bird today announced that applications for the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) are now being accepted to address damages from recent wildfires. ECP signup will begin on Monday, April 4, 2022, and end on Friday, May 6, 2022.
The approved ECP practices under this authorization include restoring permanent fences and removing debris in preparation for fence restoration.
ECP assists producers with the recovery cost to restore the farmland to pre-disaster conditions. Conservation concerns that were present on the land prior to the disaster are not eligible for ECP assistance.
Approved ECP applicants may receive up to 75 percent of the cost of approved restoration activity. Limited resource, socially disadvantaged and beginning farmers and ranchers may receive up to 90 percent cost-share.
Producers with damage from qualifying natural disaster events must apply for assistance before beginning reconstructive work. FSA’s National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and environmental compliance review process is required to be completed before any actions are taken. Submitting an application after reconstructive work has been completed may not qualify for ECP.
“Dealing with the impacts of natural disasters is never easy, especially when you have to consider the health and safety of livestock, so if you have an immediate need to begin restoring fences and want to receive ECP assistance, it’s imperative that you call our office for approval before you take any action,” said Bird.
FSA county committees will evaluate applications based on an on-site inspection of the damaged land, taking into consideration the type and extent of the damage. An on-site inspection does not guarantee that cost-share funding will be provided.
The 2018 Farm Bill increased the payment limitation for ECP to $500,000 per natural disaster event.
For more information on ECP, please contact the Eastland County FSA office at (254)-629-1636 x2 or visit farmers.gov/protection-recovery.
