Christiansburg, VA, Sept. 28, 2026 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) in the New River Valley Service Center is accepting applications for the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) to address damages from a drought event that occurred May 19, 2026, through September 11, 2026. ECP provides cost-share and technical assistance to producers to restore farmland to pre-disaster conditions following a qualifying natural disaster. ECP signup began on September 14, 2026, and ends on November 13, 2026.
“The Farm Service Agency can help producers and landowners recover from natural disasters that impacted their operation,” said CED Derek Pruitt, FSA County Executive Director for Floyd, Giles, Montgomery and Pulaski counties. “If you have an immediate need to restore your operation, please call our office before beginning any restoration activities in order to determine program eligibility and to request restoration practice approval before taking any action.”
Approved ECP applicants can receive up to 75% of the cost of the approved restoration activity with a maximum cost share of $500,000 per natural disaster event…