Pennsylvania farmers: Everything you need to file for USDA freeze assistance

Agricultural operations in Pennsylvania have been significantly impacted by the late-April/early-May freeze events in the state. USDA reminds farmers it has technical and financial assistance available to help recover from these adverse weather events. 

“USDA has a suite of programs to support farmers and ranchers as they recover from disasters,” said under secretary Richard Fordyce. “I encourage impacted producers to contact their local USDA Service Center to report losses and learn more about program options available to assist in their recovery from crop, land, infrastructure, and livestock losses and damages.”   

USDA Disaster Assistance   

The Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP) provides assistance to honeybee and farm-raised fish producers for eligible death losses. For eligible livestock, assistance for feed loss may be available through ELAP. For ELAP, producers are required to complete a notice of loss and application for payment to their local FSA office no later than March 1, 2027, for 2026 calendar year losses.        

Eligible orchardists and nursery tree growers may be eligible for cost-share assistance through the Tree Assistance Program (TAP) to replant or rehabilitate eligible trees, bushes or vines. TAP complements the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program or crop insurance coverage, which covers the crop but not the plants or trees in all cases. For TAP, a program application must be filed within 90 days of the disaster event or the date when the loss of the trees, bushes or vines is apparent.     

“Once you are able to evaluate the impact on your operation, be sure to contact your local FSA county office to timely report all crop, livestock and farm infrastructure damages and losses,” said Richard Ebert, State Executive Director for FSA in Pennsylvania. “To expedite FSA disaster assistance, you may need to provide documents, such as farm records, herd inventory, receipts and pictures of damages or losses.”   

FSA also offers a variety of direct and guaranteed farm loans, including operating and emergency farm loans, to producers unable to secure commercial financing. Producers in counties with a primary or contiguous disaster designation may be eligible for low interest emergency loans to help them recover from production and physical losses. Loans can help producers replace essential property, purchase inputs like livestock, equipment, feed and seed, cover family living expenses or refinance farm-related debts and other needs. 

Additionally, FSA offers several loan servicing options available for borrowers who are unable to make scheduled payments on their farm loan programs debt to the agency because of reasons beyond their control.      

Risk Management   

Producers with NAP coverage should report crop damage to their local FSA office and must file a Notice of Loss (CCC-576) within 15 days of the loss becoming apparent, except for hand-harvested crops, which should be reported within 72 hours. NAP covers losses from natural disasters on crops for which no permanent federal crop insurance program is available, including fruits, vegetables, forage and grazing crops, floriculture, ornamental nursery, aquaculture, turf grass and more.    

Producers with risk protection through Federal Crop Insurance should report crop damage to their crop insurance agent within 72 hours of discovering damage and be sure to follow up in writing within 15 days. 

“Crop insurance and other USDA risk management options are offered to help producers manage risk because we never know what nature has in store for the future,” said Kevin Wooten, Director of USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) Regional Office in Pennsylvania. “Disasters can be trying for producers, and they should stay in close contact with their crop insurance agent. Producers can be assured that the Approved Insurance Providers, loss adjusters and agents are experienced and well-trained in handling these types of events.” 

Conservation   

FSA’s Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) and Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP) can assist landowners and nonindustrial private forest stewards with financial assistance to restore damaged farmland and conservation structures or forests.       

More Information  

Additional USDA disaster assistance information can be found on farmers.gov, including USDA resources specifically for producers impacted by winter weather.