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Updated September 29, 2021
Federal Disaster Assistance for Agriculture
A number of federal assistance programs are designed to
blizzard, fire, hurricane, flood, tornado, drought, hail,
address agricultural losses following a natural disaster,
volcanic eruption, freeze, and earthquake. In some cases
including insurance, direct payments for loss, loans, and
insect infestation and disease may qualify as a natural
cost share to rehabilitate damaged lands. These programs
disaster under some programs. Manmade disaster
are intended to assist producers recovering from production,
conditions are generally excluded.
financial, and physical loss related to or caused by the
disaster. They are administered by the U.S. Department of
Types of Support
Agriculture (USDA) through three agencies: the Risk
USDA offers assistance through a number of different
Management Agency (RMA), the Farm Service Agency
mechanisms.
(FSA), and the Natural Resources Conservation Service
(NRCS). All programs have permanent authorization, and
Insurance—subsidized premiums for yield or revenue
only one (the emergency loan program) requires a federal
loss insurance coverage.
disaster designation. Many of the programs receive
mandatory funding amounts that are “such sums as
Direct payments—generally made to cover production
necessary” and are not subject to annual discretionary
loss in excess of normal loss.
appropriations. Other programs, however, require
supplemental appropriations. Some programs are subject to
Loans—low interest loans when commercial credit is
payment limits, while others are not (e.g., crop insurance).
unavailable.
Table 1 provides a brief overview of permanent USDA
Cost-share—a percentage of the cost to reinstall
assistance programs for agricultural producers following a
conservation infrastructure or rehabilitate damaged land.
natural disaster. It is not comprehensive as it does not
include temporary assistance programs, such as the
Additional CRS Resources
Wildfires and Hurricanes Indemnity Program (WHIP).
Additional CRS products are available related to
Other programs for community water, housing, food
nonagricultural federal disaster assistance.
assistance, and wildfire support offered by USDA are also
not discussed.
General disaster response––CRS Report R41981,
Congressional Primer on Responding to and Recovering
For more detailed information on USDA disaster assistance
from Major Disasters and Emergencies
programs, see CRS Report RS21212, Agricultural Disaster
Assistance, and CRS Report R42854, Emergency
Response and Recovery Programs—CRS Report
Assistance for Agricultural Land Rehabilitation. For
RL31734, Federal Disaster Assistance Response and
additional information on WHIP, see CRS In Focus
Recovery Programs: Brief Summaries
IF11539, Wildfires and Hurricanes Indemnity Program
(WHIP).
CRS expert lists and reports are also available by event.
Types of Losses
Flooding––CRS Report R46453, Flooding Events: CRS
Natural disasters create a number of different types of
Experts
losses for agricultural operations.
Hurricanes––CRS Report R46408, Hurricane Events:
Production loss—the loss of crops, animals, or trees,
CRS Experts.
prevented planting of a future crop due to lack of access
(flooding), or the loss of forage for livestock.
Wildfires––CRS Report R40884, Wildfires: CRS
Experts
Physical loss—the loss of related production
infrastructure such as terraces, irrigation systems, barns,
Drought—CRS Report R46911, Drought in the United
and waste management structures.
States: Science, Policy, and Selected Federal
Authorities
Financial loss—the loss of income and revenue.
Natural disaster and hazards generally––CRS Report
Types of Disasters
R46438, Natural Disasters and Hazards: CRS Experts
Most all USDA disaster assistance programs are in response
to natural disasters. This includes, but is not limited to,
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Federal Disaster Assistance for Agriculture
Table 1. USDA’s Agricultural Disaster Assistance Programs
Program and Agency
Disaster
Coverage and Requirements
Payment Trigger
Timing and Funding
Insurance
Crop insurance indemnifies
Al
More than 100 crops are eligible; Yield or revenue loss
Indemnity payment issued
yield or revenue losses—RMA
also covered are livestock
greater than the
after claim is filed,
margins and pasture. Producer
deductible (e.g., 30%)
adjusted, and processed;
must purchase a subsidized
specified in the policy.
unlimited program funding.
policy prior to planting.
Noninsured Crop Disaster
Al (fire must
Available for crops not currently Crop loss in excess of
Payment issued after claim
Assistance Program (NAP)
be related to an eligible for crop insurance.
50% or for prevented
is filed and processed;
payments for reduced yield, crop eligible
Producer pays fee prior to
planting 35% of intended unlimited program funding.
loss, or prevented planting—FSA
disaster)
planting.
acres; additional
coverage available.
Payments
Livestock Indemnity
Al except
Beef and dairy cattle, hogs,
Livestock deaths in
Payment issued after
Program (LIP) payments for
drought (unless chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys,
excess of normal
application is processed;
livestock death losses or livestock associated with sheep, goats, alpacas, deer, elk,
mortality or sold at
unlimited program funding.
sold at a reduced sale price—FSA anthrax)
emus, l amas, reindeer, and
reduced sale price
equine; no fee.
caused by adverse
weather and disease.
Livestock Forage Disaster
Drought or fire Drought-affected pastureland
Drought intensity level
Payment issued after
Program (LFP) payments for
(federal land
and cropland planted for grazing; for an individual county, application is processed;
grazing losses from
only)
rangeland managed by a federal
as published in the U.S.
unlimited program funding.
drought/fire—FSA
agency due to a qualifying fire;
Drought Monitor.
no fee
Emergency Assistance for
Al (including
Livestock, honey bees, and farm-
Bee losses in excess of
Payment issued after
Livestock, Honey Bees, and
disease)
raised fish; losses may be caused normal mortality;
application is processed;
Farm-Raised Fish Program
by disease, adverse weather,
certain losses for
unlimited program funding.
(ELAP) payments for losses not
feed or water shortages, or
livestock, including feed
covered by LIP/LFP—FSA
wildfires; no fee.
and water costs.
Tree Assistance Program
Al (including
Trees, bushes, and vines from
Tree/bush/vine
Payment issued after
(TAP) payments for tree, bush,
disease and
which an annual crop is
mortality loss or
application is processed;
and vine losses—FSA
infestation)
produced; no fee.
damage in excess of
unlimited program funding.
15% mortality.
Loans
Emergency (EM) farm loans
Al
Damage to crops, livestock,
Disaster declaration by
Loan application due
offer low-interest financing for
equipment or farmland when
President, Secretary, or
within eight months of
production or physical losses—
commercial credit not available.
FSA; 30% crop loss or a disaster; funding subject to
FSA
physical loss.
appropriations.
Disaster Set-Aside (DSA)
Al
One ful year’s loan payment can Disaster declaration by
Upon declaration of
al ows deferred loan payment for
be moved to end of loan period. President, Secretary, or
disaster.
direct loans—FSA
FSA.
Cost Share
Emergency Conservation
Al
Damaged private farmland or
Determined by FSA
Payment issued after work
Program (ECP) percentage of
emergency water conservation
county committee or
is completed; funding
cost to return damaged land to
during drought. Federal and
national FSA office in
subject to appropriations.
production––FSA
state land is ineligible.
case of drought.
Emergency Forest
Al
Damaged nonindustrial private
Determined by FSA
Payment issued after work
Restoration Program (EFRP)
forestland. Federal and state land county committee.
is completed; funding
percentage of cost to restore
is ineligible.
subject to appropriations.
forest health—FSA
Emergency Watershed
Al
Runoff and erosion measures on Determined by NRCS
Funding released after
Protection (EWP) percentage
private, state, tribal, and federal
state office.
signed cooperative
of cost to relieve imminent
lands (U.S. Forest Service land
agreement with project
hazards to life and property—
only). Must have project sponsor
sponsor; funding subject to
NRCS
(local/state government).
appropriations.
Source: Compiled by CRS.
Megan Stubbs, Specialist in Agricultural Conservation and
Natural Resources Policy
IF10565
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Federal Disaster Assistance for Agriculture
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