2023/2024 Supplemental Disaster Assistance

The American Relief Act of 2025, Pub. L. No. 118-158 (the Act), signed into law on Dec. 21, 2024, provided the U.S. Department of Agriculture with more than $30 billion to deliver disaster recovery assistance to farmers and livestock producers. Below is a projected timeline for development and delivery of each of the components that comprise the full suite of Supplemental Disaster Assistance for agricultural producers.

Projected Timeline

Timeline Summary

Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (ECAP)

The Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (ECAP) provides economic loss assistance for covered commodities based on 2024 planted and prevented planted acres.

Important Dates

• March 19, 2025: Sign-up began
• August 15, 2025: Sign-up ends

Over $7B in payments have been paid out to date ($7,350,090,389). View more payment information on the ECAP Dashboard.

Emergency Livestock Relief Program (ELRP) for Drought and Wildfire

The Emergency Livestock Relief Program (ELRP) for Drought and Wildfire will provide assistance for losses due to drought and wildfires in 2023 and 2024.

Important Dates

• May 16, 2025: The target date to send final rule to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
• May 30, 2025: The target date for FSA county offices to sign and certify
   

Emergency Livestock Relief Program (ELRP) for Flooding

The Emergency Livestock Relief Program (ELRP) for Flooding will provide assistance for losses due to flooding. USDA has never stood up an assistance program for livestock due to flooding, this requires more time due to needed software changes.

Important Dates

• July 23, 2025: The target date to send final rule to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
• August 12, 2025: The target date for the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) clearance
• August 18, 2025: The target date for sign-up to begin
   

Supplemental Disaster Relief Program

The Supplemental Disaster Relief Program will provide assistance to producers for necessary expenses due to losses of revenue, quality or production of crops due to weather related events in 2023 and 2024.

Important Dates

For producers with indemnified losses:

• June 9, 2025: The target date to submit final rule to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
• June 27, 2025: The target date for the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) clearance
• July 7, 2025: The target date for sign-up to begin

For uncovered losses (shallow losses) including producers without crop insurance, and quality losses we need more time to collect the data:

• August 19, 2025: The target date to submit final rule to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
• September 9, 2025: The target date for the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) clearance
• September 15, 2025: The target date for sign-up to begin
   

General Block Grant Authority

USDA is using general block grant authority to pay on losses due to adverse weather events for 2023 and 2024. General block grants will not duplicate assistance for which USDA covers a similar loss.

• USDA has received general block grant requests from:
  • Alabama
  • California
  • Florida
  • Georgia
  • Mississippi
  • North Carolina
  • South Carolina
  • Tennessee
  • Virginia

Timing

We are currently engaging with the above states to negotiate their final agreement. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) does not have to approve them. These are agreements between the states and USDA.

• For those states that have a final negotiated agreement by May 28, 2025, the fully executed agreement would be complete by June 13, 2025
  • Texas
• For those states that have a final negotiated agreement by June 13, 2025, the fully executed agreement would be complete by June 30, 2025.
   

Small Block Grant Authority

Provides compensation for necessary expenses related to crop, timber and livestock losses, including on-farm infrastructure as a consequence of any adverse weather event in 2023 and 2024. Small block grants will not duplicate assistance for which USDA covers a similar loss.

• Small block grants were specifically earmarked by Congress to cover:
  • Alaska
  • Connecticut
  • Hawaii
  • Maine
  • Massachusetts
  • New Hampshire
  • Rhode Island
  • Vermont

Timing

FSA is actively engaged with all eight states eligible working to refine these agreements. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) does not have to approve them. These are agreements between the states and USDA.

• For those states that have a final negotiated agreement by May 28, 2025, the fully executed agreement would be complete by June 13, 2025.
• For those states that have a final negotiated agreement by June 13, 2025, the fully executed agreement would be complete by June 30, 2025.