USDA Approves Emergency Conservation Assistance for 15 Counties in Indiana

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., June 2, 2025 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Indiana is accepting applications for the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) in 15 counties to address damages from flooding. ECP provides cost-share and technical assistance to producers to restore farmland to pre-disaster conditions. ECP signup started on May 19, 2025, and ends on July 18, 2025.

“Recovering from the impacts of natural disasters is never easy, but the Farm Service Agency is here to help,” said Steve Brown, State Executive Director for FSA in Indiana. “If you have an immediate need to clean up and restore your operation, please call your local office for restoration practice approval before you take any action.”

The following counties are eligible for ECP assistance due to flooding that occurred April 7-24, 2025: Bartholomew, Daviess, Gibson, Greene, Jackson, Jefferson, Knox, Lawrence, Martin, Owen, Perry, Pike, Posey, Vanderburgh, and Warrick. 

Emergency Conservation Program

Approved ECP practices include debris removal, grading/shaping/releveling or similar measures, repair/restoration fencing, restoring conservation structures and other installations, and other emergency conservation measures.  

Approved ECP applicants can receive up to 75% of the cost of the approved restoration activity with a maximum cost share of $500,000 per natural disaster event. 

ECP cost share is authorized to: 

• provide reimbursement of costs up to 75% of the total cost of rehabilitating the land, including availability of advance payments for up to 25% of the total allowable cost for all ECP practices before the restoration is carried out, an option that was previously only available for fence repair or replacement. The cost-share payment must be spent within 60 days; and 
• allow producers who lease federally owned or managed lands, including tribal trust land, as well as state land, the opportunity to participate in ECP. 

Conservation concerns present on the land prior to the qualifying natural disaster event are not eligible for ECP assistance.

To expedite approvals of restoration work for ECP, FSA has waived the onsite inspection for non-engineering ECP practices to remove hazard trees, surface debris, and fence repair to expedite needs determinations and approvals of restoration work. Additionally, FSA waived the requirement for producers to obtain prior approval to conduct surface debris removal, fence repair and hazard tree removal to support critical disaster recovery efforts. Producers should contact FSA with questions on eligibility, allowable activities and applying for ECP assistance.

More Information

To learn more about FSA programs, producers can contact their local USDA Service Center or visit farmers.gov/protection-recovery. USDA disaster assistance information can also be found on farmers.gov, including the Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool, Disaster-at-a-Glance fact sheet, and Farm Loan Discovery Tool.  Additionally, FarmRaise partnered with FSA to launch an online education hub comprised of videos, tools and interactive resources, including farm loan information and Livestock Indemnity Program and Emergency Livestock Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program decision tools. 

FSA helps America’s farmers, ranchers and forest landowners invest in, improve, protect and expand their agricultural operations through the delivery of agricultural programs for all Americans. FSA implements agricultural policy, administers credit and loan programs, and manages conservation, commodity, disaster recovery and marketing programs through a national network of state and county offices and locally elected county committees. For more information, visit fsa.usda.gov.    

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