In a significant move to aid farmers impacted by natural disasters in 2022, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has unveiled a relief program worth over $3 billion. Eligible producers facing financial losses from crop yield and value reductions caused by disasters like wildfires, hurricanes, floods, and more can apply for assistance through the Emergency Relief Program (ERP) 2022.
In December of 2022, President Biden signed the Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, allocating $3.7 billion for agricultural producers affected by qualifying natural disasters in the same year. ERP 2022 covers losses to crops, trees, bushes, and vines and will be delivered through a streamlined two-track process to reduce paperwork and encourage producer participation in risk management programs.
“In our continued commitment to improving our delivery of emergency relief assistance, we have further refined our Emergency Relief Program 2022 delivery process. Instead of two separate program phases, we will now run two tracks concurrently increasing our efficiencies in application and payment processing while ensuring equitable program delivery,” USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Zach Ducheneaux said in a press release. “We also listened to important input from producers and stakeholders and have enhanced ERP 2022 provisions to ensure shallow loss impacts on revenue are considered.”
The two tracks offer different methods of assistance. Track 1 relies on existing federal crop insurance or Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) data, benefiting over 206,000 producers who received indemnities for losses covered by these programs. Producers can apply starting October 31, 2023, with pre-filled applications sent to eligible individuals, although receipt does not confirm eligibility.
Track 2, a revenue-based certification program, targets eligible producers with revenue losses not covered by crop insurance or NAP. This track accommodates producers whose revenue doesn’t reasonably reflect a normal year’s revenue, using readily available tax records for benchmarking.
Producers interested in Track 2 should contact their local FSA county office. Regardless of the track, all producers must have the required forms on file with FSA within 60 days of the ERP 2022 deadline. While the application deadline is pending, producers can update forms at any time.
To receive ERP 2022 payments, producers must purchase crop insurance or NAP coverage, ensuring coverage at specified levels for the next two crop years. Full eligibility details and payment calculation factors are available on the emergency relief website, fact sheets, and through local FSA county offices.
This relief initiative is a crucial step in supporting farmers facing financial setbacks due to unforeseen natural disasters, emphasizing the government’s commitment to the agricultural community’s resilience and recovery.
Brian German
Ag News Director / AgNet West