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USDA cuts red tape to speed up 2023, 2024 hurricane restoration

Monday, April 28th, 2025

The Farm Service Agency is allowing farmers impacted by Hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton to start certain restoration projects without prior approval.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The U.S. Department of Agriculture relaxed rules for farmers and other agriculture producers to help expedite the rebuilding process following hurricanes in 2023 and 2024.

According to the USDA, the Farm Service Agency is allowing farmers impacted by Hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton to start certain restoration projects without prior approval. This includes fence replacement, sediment removal, tree removal, burning wood debris, clearing timber on 100 or more acres and road restoration.  

The program flexibilities will allow FSA to complete an environmental review to determine the impact to natural and cultural resources in disaster areas. Once the land is restored, farmers can apply for the Tree Assistance Program to pay to replace damaged trees, bushes and vines.

FSA is also authorizing a documentation waiver for approved applicants to speed up emergency conservation program payments. The waiver is available to applicants in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and Puerto Rico. This only applies to hurricanes that happened between Oct. 1, 2016 and Sept. 30, 2023.   

Emergency Conservation Program and Emergency Forest Restoration Program participants will not be required to submit any documentation to verify restoration activities. Instead, the technical agency, FSA, or the producer will certify practices are complete and meet USDA standards. 

  

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