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Oregon Conservation Programs
Emergency Conservation Program (ECP)
Program level:
National
Land use:
Agriculture
Provider:
USDA Farm Service Agency
Benefits provided:
Financial, Free Technical Assistance
Water-focused program:
No
Provides Emergency Funding and technical assistance to farmers and ranchers to rehabilitate farmland and conservation structures damaged by natural disasters and implement emergency water conservation measures in periods of severe drought.
Overview
Description:
Natural disasters can devastate farmland and grazing land and threaten the livelihood of farmers and ranchers who depend on the land on which they live. The ECP can help to lessen this burden, providing assistance in overcoming exceptional damage from storms and severe drought.
Eligibility:
Eligible land includes land used for:
• Commercial farming, ranching and orchard operations;
• Growing nursery stock and Christmas tree plantations;
• Grazing for commercial livestock production; and
• Conservation structures such as, waterways, terraces, diversions
and windbreaks.
• Conservation problems existing before the applicable disaster
event are ineligible for ECP assistance.
For land to qualify for ECP funds, the damage from the natural disaster or severe drought must create new conservation problems that if not dealt with would:
• Further damage the land
• Significantly affect the land’s productive capacity
• Represent damage from a natural disaster unusual for the area (an exception to this is damage from wind erosion)
• Be too costly to repair without Federal assistance in order to return the land to agricultural production
Financial benefit:
Up to 75% of the cost to implement emergency conservation practices can be provided, however the final amount is determined by the committee reviewing the application. Qualified limited resource producers may earn up to 90% cost-share. The FSA County Committee is able to approve applications up to $125,000 while $125,001 to $250,000 requires state committee approval. Amounts over $250,000 require the approval of the national FSA office.
Contact information
Contact person:
Claire Tachella
Organization:
Phone number:
503-414-3261
Email:
Information last updated on July 1, 2022.
Planning Importance
Developing a forest, agricultural, or conservation plan helps identify and prioritize objectives for landowners. These objectives can determine what type programs to search for. Supporting organizations in your area often provide free consultation and planning.
Landscape Characteristics
See how your land fits into the broader context of regional conservation, ecosystem services, and working lands' values across the landscape through our interactive mapper tool. It could help you determine which program is a good fit for you!
Contact Us
This tool is meant for you. If you have any ideas for improvement, are struggling to find something, having difficulty navigating, or program info is incorrect or missing, please contact Rachel SantaOlalla and she will fix it ASAP.
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