Relief Programs

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Drought Relief Programs Flyer (pdf)

Below is a list of federal, state, and local programs available to those affected by the drought. 

Crops

Emergency Conservation Program

  • Administration: Farm Service Agency (FSA)
  • Eligibility: Fire/Drought - The FSA County Committee inspects the damage to determine if land is eligible for ECP.
  • Details: Provides funding to rehabilitate farmland damaged by wind erosion, floods, hurricanes or other natural disasters, and for carrying out emergency water conservation measures
  • More Info: USDA program page

Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP)

  • Administration: Farm Service Agency (FSA)
  • Eligibility: Fire/Drought
  • Details: Provides financial assistance for non-insurable crop losses.
  • Getting Assistance: USDA program  page

Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP)

  • Administration: Farm Service Agency (FSA)
  • Eligibility: Fire/Drought
  • Details: Provides payments to eligible owners of rural nonindustrial private forest land to carry out emergency measures to restore forest health.
  • Getting Assistance: USDA program page

 Tree Assistance Program (TAP) 

  • Administration: Farm Service Agency (FSA)
  • Eligibility: Fire/Drought
  • Details: Provides financial assistance to qualifying orchardists and nursery tree growers to replant or, where applicable, rehabilitate eligible trees, bushes and vines. 
  • Getting Assistance: USDA program page

 

Livestock

Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP)

  • Administration: Farm Service Agency (FSA)
  • Eligibility: Fire – Yes, except for federally managed land. Drought – No, except for water transportation.
  • Details: Provides payments to eligible producers of livestock, honeybees and farm-raised fish to help compensate for losses due to disease. 
  • Getting Assistance: USDA program page

Emergency Loan Program (EM) 

  • Administration: Farm Service Agency (FSA)
  • Eligibility: Fire/Drought - Yes
  • Details: Provides EM loans to help producers recover from production and physical losses.
  • Getting Assistance:  USDA program page

Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP)

  • Administration: Farm Service Agency (FSA)
  • Eligibility: Fire – Yes, but only on federally managed lands impacted by the fire for which the producer is prohibited from grazing the normally permitted livestock by the federal agency. Drought – Yes, grazing losses must be due to a qualifying drought condition or fire on federally managed land during the normal grazing period for the county.
  • Details: Provides compensation for grazing losses for covered livestock on land that is native or improved pastureland with permanent vegetative cover or certain crops planted specifically for grazing.
  • More info: USDA Program page

Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) 

  • Administration: Farm Service Agency (FSA)
  • Eligibility: Fire  - Yes. Drought – No, except when associated with anthrax.
  • Details: Provides benefits to livestock owners and some contract growers for livestock deaths in excess of normal mortality that are the direct result of an eligible adverse weather event. In addition, LIP covers attacks by animals reintroduced into the wild by the federal government or protected by federal law.
  • More info: USDA program page

Livestock Water Supply Assistance Program

  • Administration: North Dakota State Water Commission
  • Eligibility: Fire  - No. Drought – Yes
  • Details: Provides cost-share assistance to livestock producers with water supply shortages caused by drought.
  • More info: State Water Commission program page

Emergency grazing on Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) lands

  • Administration: USDA
  • Eligibility: Fire  - No. Drought – Yes,  all or parts of states experiencing severe or extreme drought conditions indicated as categories D2 and D3 on the U.S. Drought Monitor. Extends through Sept. 30, unless conditions improve.
  • Details: Eligible CRP participants can use CRP acreage for grazing their own livestock or may grant another livestock producer use of the CRP acreage. There will be no CRP annual rental payment reductions assessed for acres grazed.
  • More info: USDA program page

North Dakota State University Feed List

  • Administration: NDSU Extension Service
  • Eligibility: Buyers and sellers may contact their NDSU Extension Service county office with questions or for entry help.
  • Details: The FeedList brings together buyers and sellers who have or need feedstuffs (hay, pasture, corn, etc.). There is no charge to post entries.
  • More info: NDSU program page

ND Department of Agriculture Drought Hotline Map

  • Administration: ND Dept. of Agriculture
  • Eligibility: NA
  • Details:  This Interactive map gives contact information for those selling hay, those with pasture land for rent and Hay haulers.
  • More info: Drought Hotline Map

Livestock Water Quality And Specialized Testing

  • Administration: NDSU Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
  • Eligibility: NA
  • Details:  If concerned about livestock diseases caused by contaminated drinking water, you can send a water sample to the NDSU Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory and they will perform a water quality analysis.
  • More info: Water quality test page