USDA Approves Emergency Conservation Program and Emergency Forest Restoration Program Assistance in 3 Additional Illinois Counties
<div class=\"default-font-wrapper\" style=\"line-height: 1;font-size: 12pt; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;\"><div style=\"line-height: 1;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;\">U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced that three additional Illinois counties will be accepting applications for the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) and three additional Illinois counties are accepting applications for the Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP) to address damages from tornados and severe storms. The approved counties for both ECP and EFRP are Marshall, Putnam, and Stark Counties in Illinois.</span></div><br><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;\">Emergency Conservation Program<br id=\"isPasted\"><br>ECP assists producers with the cost to restore farmland to pre-disaster conditions. Approved ECP applicants can receive up to 75% of the cost of the approved restoration activity. Program applicants who qualify as limited resource, socially disadvantaged and beginning farmers and ranchers can receive up to 90% cost-share. <br><br>Approved ECP practices under this authorization include:<br><br>EC1 - Debris removal<br><br>EC2 – Grading, Shaping, Releveling, or Similar Measures<br><br>EC3 - Restoring permanent fences<br><br>Producers who incurred damage are required to apply for assistance before starting any reconstructive work. FSA’s National Environmental Policy Act and environmental compliance review process must also be completed before any restoration activities begin. Producers who submit applications for assistance after reconstructive work has been completed may not qualify for ECP assistance, but all affected producers are encouraged to apply to determine eligibility. <br><br>FSA county committee evaluation of ECP applications is based on an on-site inspection of the damaged land, taking into consideration the type and extent of damage. An on-site inspection does not guarantee that cost-share funding will be provided.<br><br>The use of ECP funds is limited to activities that return the land to the relative pre-disaster condition and the payment limitation for ECP is $500,000 per disaster event. Conservation concerns present on the land prior to the eligible disaster event are not eligible for ECP assistance.</span></div>