Agriculture

 USDA Announces Disaster Assistance for Iowa Farmers

Farmers and producers who experienced damage or loss may be eligible for assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Click Here for a USDA Disaster Assistance At-A-Glance.

USDA announced programs and assistance available to Iowa farmers and producers impacted by the severe storms. Here’s more on how to determine eligibility and apply for assistance:

USDA Disaster Assistance

• Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP): Available to livestock producers who experienced livestock deaths. Contract livestock growers should contact their local Farm Service Agency (FSA) for more information on LIP eligibility. 
• Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP): Producers who experienced feed and grazing losses may be eligible for compensation through ELAP. A notice of loss must be filed within 30 days, and honeybee losses must be filed within 15 days. 
• Tree Assistance Program (TAP): Under TAP, orchardists and nursery tree growers may be eligible for cost-share assistance designated for replanting or rehabilitating eligible trees, bushes or vines lost in the storms. TAP applications must be filed within 90 days.  

FSA Loans

• Farm Loans: Farmers unable to secure commercial financing may be eligible for direct or guaranteed farm loans from FSA—including operating and emergency farm loans. 
• Emergency Loans: Low-interest emergency loans are available to farmers in eligible counties to help them recover from production and physical losses, including essential property, purchase inputs like livestock, equipment, feed and seed, cover family living expenses, or refinance farm-related debts, and more.
• Farm Storage Facility Loans: Available for producers who need to build, rebuild, or upgrade facilities to store commodities.  

Risk Management

• Producers with Federal Crop Insurance or FSA’s NAP should report crop damage to their crop insurance agent or FSA office.
• Producers with crop insurance should report crop damage to their agent within 72 hours of damage discovery, and follow up in writing within 15 days.
• A Notice of Loss (CCC-576) for NAP covered crops must be filed within 15 days of the loss becoming apparent. Hand-harvested crops should be reported within 72 hours. 

Conservation

• Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) and Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP): Programs can provide landowners and forest stewards with financial and technical assistance to restore fencing, damaged farmland, or forests.
• Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP): Available to help producers plan and implement conservation practices on land impacted by natural disasters.  

Assistance for Communities

• Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP): Assists local government sponsors—including eligible cities, counties, towns, or any federally recognized Native American tribe or tribal organization—with the cost of watershed repairs, debris removal, streambank stabilization, and more.
• For more information, producers should contact their local NRCS office.

More Assistance

The Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool, Disaster Assistance-at-a-Glance fact sheet, and Farm Loan Discovery Tool are all available to help producers and landowners discover programs or available loan assistance.