USDA approves statewide emergency forest restoration aid

Following last week’s delivery of a Mississippi congressional delegation letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, the U.S. Department of Agriculture on Monday approved Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP) signup in all 82 counties in Mississippi.  A 120-day signup period will run from April 15 to Aug. 15, 2024.

Requirements for participation in EFRP:

• Restoration must be completed to meet the National Resources Conservation Service and/or State Forestry Agency technical standards.
• Participants must document and keep records of all costs incurred, including costs associated with personal labor, to complete the restoration activities.
• The minimum qualifying cost of restoration is $1,000.
• The program’s payment limitation is $500,000.

Administered by the USDA Farm Service Agency, EFRP is a cost-share program that provides financial and technical assistance to owners of nonindustrial private forestland (NIPF) to restore NIPF damaged by a qualifying natural disaster event.  All Mississippi counties were placed under a natural disaster status following severe drought conditions last summer.

EFRP financial assistance is not provided upfront, but is reimbursed after restoration is complete at 75% of the lesser of the actual costs incurred or allowable cost.  If an EFRP application is approved, the participant(s) is expected to perform restoration/conservation practices based on the FSA-848A, Cost-Share Agreement and Restoration Plan provided.

A USDA EFRP fact sheet is available here.  Potential applicants should check with their local FSA office for more information.