The Tree Assistance Program (TAP), administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA), offers financial support to orchardists and nursery tree growers who experience losses due to natural disasters. TAP helps cover the cost of replanting or rehabilitating eligible trees, bushes, and vines that produce annual crops and have been damaged or destroyed. This program is crucial for helping producers recover from adverse events and ensuring the long-term viability of their agricultural operations.
Program Features:
- Covered Losses:
- Replanting or rehabilitating trees, bushes, and vines that have been damaged or destroyed by natural disasters.
- Eligible plantings must have suffered more than a 15% mortality rate (adjusted for normal mortality) to qualify for assistance.
- Payment Rates: TAP provides cost-share assistance of up to 65% of the actual cost of replanting or rehabilitating damaged or destroyed trees, bushes, and vines. Limited resource, socially disadvantaged, and beginning farmers or ranchers may be eligible for up to 75% cost-share.
- Documentation Requirements: Applicants must provide documentation of the losses, such as evidence of the disaster event, records of the damaged or destroyed plantings, and proof of costs incurred for replanting or rehabilitation.
- Application Process: Producers must submit an application for TAP assistance to their local FSA office within specified time frames.
Additional TAP Benefits:
- Environmental and Economic Recovery: TAP aids in the rapid recovery of damaged orchards and nurseries, promoting environmental sustainability and economic stability in agricultural communities.
- Risk Management: By providing financial support for replanting and rehabilitation, TAP helps producers manage risk and maintain productive operations despite natural disasters.
How to Enroll: To apply for the Tree Assistance Program, producers must complete and submit an application for TAP assistance to their local FSA office. The application process includes providing documentation of the losses and costs associated with replanting or rehabilitation. Detailed enrollment instructions and deadlines are available through the local FSA office or the official USDA website.
Eligibility: Eligible applicants include orchardists and nursery tree growers who produce annual crops for commercial purposes and have suffered losses due to natural disasters. Applicants must provide verifiable documentation of the losses and meet all program requirements.
