Last week, USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) mailed 303,000 pre-filled applications for the Emergency Relief Program (ERP). It’s a new program designed to help agricultural producers impacted by wildfires, droughts, hurricanes, winter storms, and other qualifying natural disasters experienced during calendar years 2020 and 2021.
This all stems from legislation that Congress passed, and President Biden signed into law. It’s known as the Extending Government Funding and Delivering Emergency Assistance Act (P.L. 117-43), which includes $10 billion in critical emergency relief.
USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator, Zach Ducheneaux, explained to Southeast AgNet’s Randall Weiseman what this program does and who it’s for.
The form mailed out includes eligibility requirements, outlines the application process, and provides estimated ERP payment calculations. Producers will receive a separate application form for each program year in which an eligible loss occurred.
Receipt of a pre-filled application is not confirmation that you are eligible to receive an ERP phase one payment. The deadline to return completed ERP applications to FSA is July 22, 2022.