Final chance for 2022 USDA relief funds

Jul 18, 2024

Apply by August 14, 2024, for USDA’s emergency relief program

By Farms.com

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reminds farmers of the approaching deadline to apply for the Emergency Relief Program (ERP) to mitigate losses from 2022’s natural disasters.

The deadline to submit applications is August 14, 2024, with the Farm Service Agency (FSA) having opened the application window in October 2023.

“Don’t delay. Gather up your documents and contact your local office to complete the application process,” advised FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux. He highlighted the importance for those affected by disasters like wildfires, hurricanes, and other extreme weather events to seek the available support.

The ERP 2022 is part of the broader Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, through which Congress has provided $3.2 billion to aid in covering an estimated $10 billion in crop and other agricultural losses.

The program specifically addresses losses to crops, trees, bushes, and vines from various qualifying natural disasters occurred in 2022.

This initiative is part of the USDA's efforts to support recovery in the agricultural sector, ensuring farmers can continue operations and contribute to the food supply chain despite the setbacks from natural calamities.

Video: From Conventional to Regenerative: Will Groeneveld’s Journey Back to the Land

"You realize you've got a pretty finite number of years to do this. If you ever want to try something new, you better do it."

That mindset helped Will Groeneveld take a bold turn on his Alberta grain farm. A lifelong farmer, Will had never heard of regenerative agriculture until 2018, when he attended a seminar by Kevin Elmy that shifted his worldview. What began as curiosity quickly turned into a deep exploration of how biology—not just chemistry—shapes the health of our soils, crops and ecosystems.

In this video, Will candidly reflects on his family’s farming history, how the operation evolved from a traditional mixed farm to grain-only, and how the desire to improve the land pushed him to invite livestock back into the rotation—without owning a single cow.

Today, through creative partnerships and a commitment to the five principles of regenerative agriculture, Will is reintroducing diversity, building soil health and extending living roots in the ground for as much of the year as possible. Whether it’s through intercropping, zero tillage (which he’s practiced since the 1980s) or managing forage for visiting cattle, Will’s approach is a testament to continuous learning and a willingness to challenge old norms.

Will is a participant in the Regenerative Agriculture Lab (RAL), a social innovation process bringing together producers, researchers, retailers and others to co-create a resilient regenerative agriculture system in Alberta. His story highlights both the potential and humility required to farm with nature, not against it.