Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)
https://www.fsa.usda.gov/resources/programs/conservation-reserve-program
Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (ECAP)
https://www.fsa.usda.gov/resources/programs/emergency-commodity-assistance-program
RECOMMENDED LINKS
Beginning Farmer and Rancher Coordinators (Farmers.gov)
Common Forms (Farmers.gov)
Disaster Recovery
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The Disaster Set-Aside Program (DSA) assists farmers and ranchers with existing Farm Service Agency (FSA) loans who have been impacted by natural disasters. This program provides financial relief by allowing eligible producers to move one annual installment for each loan to the end of the loan term. This set-aside installment helps producers regain their financial footing without facing immediate repayment pressure, enabling them to focus on recovery efforts.
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The Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP), administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA), offers financial aid to producers who suffer losses from specific adverse conditions not covered by other USDA disaster assistance programs. This includes losses due to disease, certain adverse weather events, and other qualifying conditions affecting livestock, honey bees, and farm-raised fish. ELAP provides critical support to help producers recover and sustain their operations.
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The Emergency Conservation Program (ECP), administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA), offers financial and technical assistance to agricultural producers to repair and restore farmland affected by natural disasters such as floods, hurricanes, wildfires, drought, and other calamities. ECP helps farmers and ranchers implement emergency conservation measures to rehabilitate damaged land, restore agricultural production, and prevent further environmental degradation.
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Emergency Farm Loans, administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA), offer crucial financial support to farmers and ranchers impacted by natural disasters such as drought, flooding, storms, wildfires, earthquakes, and other declared disasters. These loans can be used to restore or replace essential property, cover production costs, pay essential family living expenses, and refinance certain debts. The aim is to help producers recover swiftly and maintain the viability of their operations during and after disaster recovery.
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The Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP), administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA), helps non-industrial private forestland owners recover from natural disasters such as wildfires, hurricanes, tornadoes, windstorms, ice storms, floods, and other qualifying events. EFRP provides funding and technical support for approved conservation practices that restore forest health, mitigate further damage, and promote sustainable forest management.
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Background – Emergency Relief for 2022 Losses
On December 29, 2022, President Biden signed into law the Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023 (P.L. 117-328) that provides about $3.7 billion in financial assistance for agricultural producers impacted by wildfires, droughts, hurricanes, winter storms and other eligible disasters occurring in calendar year 2022. Additionally, the Act specifically targeted up to about $500 million to livestock producers for losses incurred due to drought or wildfire in calendar year 2022. ELRP for 2022 losses has been closed out and ERP 2022 implementation details will be provided soon.
Background – Emergency Relief for 2020 and 2021 Losses
To help agricultural producers offset the impacts of natural disasters in 2020 and 2021, Congress included $10 billion in emergency relief funding in the Extending Government Funding and Delivering Emergency Assistance Act (P.L. 117-43). This law targeted at least $750 million for livestock producers impacted by drought or wildfires. FSA has closed out delivery of emergency relief benefits for 2020 and 2021 losses.
All payments to eligible producers for the Emergency Livestock Relief Program (ELRP) for 2021 and 2022 losses and the Emergency Relief Program (ERP) for 2020 and 2021 losses were processed by Sept. 30, 2023.
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The Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP), administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA), offers financial support to livestock producers who experience grazing losses due to qualifying drought conditions or fire on federally managed rangelands. The program is designed to help producers recover from significant forage losses, ensuring the continuity of their operations and the well-being of their livestock. LFP provides payments to eligible producers to compensate for lost grazing opportunities and to help cover additional feed costs incurred due to the disaster.
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The Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP), administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA), offers financial compensation to livestock owners and contract growers who suffer significant livestock losses beyond normal mortality levels due to eligible adverse events. These events include adverse weather conditions, diseases, and attacks by federally protected animals. LIP helps mitigate the financial impact of these losses, enabling producers to recover and continue their operations.
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The Noninsured Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) offers financial support to producers of non-insurable crops to protect against natural disasters that result in lower yields, destroyed crops, or the inability to plant. NAP provides coverage equivalent to catastrophic (CAT) and additional (buy-up) levels of risk protection, helping producers manage risk and maintain their operations during and after adverse conditions.
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The Tree Assistance Program (TAP), administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA), offers financial support to orchardists and nursery tree growers who experience losses due to natural disasters. TAP helps cover the cost of replanting or rehabilitating eligible trees, bushes, and vines that produce annual crops and have been damaged or destroyed. This program is crucial for helping producers recover from adverse events and ensuring the long-term viability of their agricultural operations.
Find a Program
Explore FSA loans and financial assistance for farmers and ranchers.
More Resources
Disaster Recovery Assistance for Commodity and Specialty Crop Producers (PDF)
Emergency Disaster Designation and Declaration Process — Fact Sheet (PDF)
Programs At A Glance (PDF)
Government Resources Guide for Farmer Veterans - Farmer Veteran Coalition (PDF)
Whole-Farm Revenue Protection Pilot Handbook — 2023 and Succeeding Policy Years (PDF)
Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool
Learn about USDA disaster assistance programs that might be right for you by completing five simple steps—Loss or Damage, When, Type, Impact, and Where.
Tax Assistance
Rural Tax Education
Utah State University
Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural producers and Extension educators will find resources for agriculturally related income and self-employment tax information that is both current and easy to understand.
Agricultural Financial, Tax and Asset Protection (AgFTAP)
The Agricultural Finance, Tax and Asset Protection (AgFTAP) education program seeks to enhance farmer and rancher ability to understand and navigate the farm business tax and asset protection decisions for their operations, as well as the important relationships between federal income taxes and USDA farm programs. This mission is carried out through an online portal of educational trainings and resources.
RECOMMENDED LINKS
Taxes for Farmers and Ranchers (Farmers.gov)
Tax Training Videos (Farmers.gov)
Find Your Local USDA State Office
FSA STATE OFFICES MAP
USDA LOCAL SERVICE CENTER LOCATOR
FSA Office Hour: Farm Loan Programs (archived from August 2025)
Flower Hill Institute (FHI) hosted an office hour event presenting on Farm Service Agency (FSA) farm loan programs featuring Amanda Robertson, National FSA Outreach Specialist and Beginning Farmer and Rancher (BFR) Regional Coordinator.
For more information about available FSA farm loans, you can locate your local Service Center at www.farmers.gov/working-with-us/service-center-locator, or request technical assistance with FHI at www.flowerhill.institute/usda-fsa.
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