In the wake of Hurricane Helene, USDA staff is available to assist when you are ready. USDA offers a suite of programs to help your ag operation recover, and we’re also offering program flexibilities to streamline the recovery process.
Here’s what you need to know about documenting and reporting losses, what programs we have available, how we’re adding flexibilities, and how to work with us.

Documenting Losses
Document damages and losses your operation has sustained as best you can, including gathering farm records, herd and poultry inventory, receipts, and pictures of damages or losses.
We advise livestock and poultry producers to document numbers by taking time and date-stamped video or pictures of injury or loss, to the extent possible.
We recognize these are extremely extenuating and stressful circumstances, and there may be instances where documentation is lost, destroyed, or unattainable. Regardless, please contact us and we will do whatever we can to help you access the assistance you need.
Reporting Losses
Report crop, livestock, poultry and farm infrastructure losses to USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) at your local USDA Service Center.
If you have Federal Crop Insurance, contact your crop insurance agent as soon as crop or livestock losses are apparent. USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) has authorized crop insurance companies to provide flexibility on reporting requirements for those who are unable to report losses due to the disaster. See RMA’s Hurricanes Helene and Debby webpage.

Available Programs
FSA offers a number of disaster programs as well as low-interest emergency loans to help producers recover from production and physical losses. A full list of programs is available on our Hurricane webpage. FSA is providing flexibilities for its programs, including extended signup opportunities and use of waivers and emergency procedures to expedite program delivery. Find a list of flexibilities here.
NRCS provides technical and financial assistance to producers through its Environmental Quality Incentives Program to help with immediate needs and long-term support to help recover from natural disasters and conserve water resources. The program can assist with restoring livestock infrastructure, emergency animal mortality disposal, and immediate soil erosion protection. Because of the need to dispose of poultry and livestock quickly, NRCS is offering an early-start waiver to producers once they file an initial application. Learn more about this flexibility.
Additionally, NRCS offers help to communities through its Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) Program which provides assistance to landowners and project sponsors following a natural disaster. EWP is designed to help people and conserve natural resources by relieving imminent hazards to life and property caused by floods, fires, windstorms, and other natural occurrences. Visit NRCS Disaster Recovery webpage.
Contact Us
When you’re ready, we’re ready. To report losses or ask questions about available programs, contact your local USDA Service Center.
USDA has resources available through the FSA Call Center at 877-508-8364, the USDA hotline at 833-ONE-USDA (663-8732), or producers can access program information online on farmers.gov.
Online Resources and Tools
Additional resources include our:
- Hurricane webpage with more information for hurricane-impacted producers.
- Disaster Assistance at a Glance Brochure with an overview of all disaster assistance programs.
- Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool to help with available disaster assistance.
- Farm Loan Assistance Tool to help determine program or loan options.
- FarmRaise educational hub to help with program decisions.
Lauren Moore is a public affairs specialist with the Farm Production and Conservation Business Center.