Emergency Conservation Program (ECP)

For your land to qualify for cost-share funds, the damage must create new conservation problems that, if not dealt with, would:

• Further damage the land.
• Greatly affect the land's productive capacity.
• Represent natural disaster damage that is unusual for the area (except damage from wind erosion).
• Be too costly of a repair to return the land to production without federal help.

The Farm Service Agency (FSA) County Committee inspects the damage to determine if your land qualifies for ECP. Conservation problems that existed before the disaster or severe drought are not eligible.

To rehabilitate farmland, you may carry out emergency conservation actions that include:

• Removing debris from farmland.
• Restoring fences and conservation structures.
• Providing water for livestock during periods of severe drought.

Cost-share payments to implement approved restoration practices are:

• Up to 75% of the cost.
• Up to 90% of the cost for producers who certify as limited resource, socially disadvantaged, or beginning farmers or ranchers.