USDA Approves Emergency Conservation Program Assistance for Hawaii County

Hilo, Hawaii, September 1, 2026 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Hawaii County is accepting applications for the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) to address damages from Hurricane Lala that occurred August 13, 2026 through August 16, 2026. ECP provides cost-share and technical assistance to producers to restore farmland to pre-disaster conditions following a qualifying natural disaster. ECP signup begins on September 1, 2026, and ends on October 30, 2026.

"The Farm Service Agency can help producers and landowners recover from natural disasters that impacted their operation," said Keadin Fujii, FSA County Executive Director for Hawaii County. "If you have an immediate need to clean up and restore your operation, please call our office to see if restoration practice approval is needed before you take any action."

Approved ECP applicants can receive up to 75% of the allowable cost of the approved restoration activity with a maximum cost share of $500,000 per natural disaster event.

Approved ECP practices include:

• Removing debris from farmland
• Grading, shaping and releveling
• Replacing or repairing permanent fence
• Restoring conservation structures
• Emergency soil erosion measures

Check with FSA before beginning other work such as:

• Repairing dams, ponds, irrigation field ditches, lined waterway or underground outlet
• Repairing grade stabilization structures, grassed waterways or terraces

ECP cost-share assistance can provide advance payments for up to 25% of the total allowable cost for all ECP practices before the restoration is carried out. The advance payment must be spent within 60 days.

Producers who lease federally owned or managed lands, including tribal trust land, as well as state land, are eligible to participate in ECP. 

Conservation concerns present on the land prior to the qualifying natural disaster event are not eligible for ECP assistance. 

Eligibility and Environmental Requirements

To allow producers to begin their recovery efforts sooner, FSA is offering flexibilities that apply to certain non-ground disturbing practices.

FSA is waiving the onsite inspection for certain ECP practices to remove surface debris and repair fencing. Additionally, FSA is waiving the requirement for producers to obtain prior approval to conduct surface debris removal and fence repair to support critical disaster recovery efforts.

FSA is streamlining environmental compliance reviews due to the impacts of this disaster event. However, FSA will continue to complete on-site environmental reviews for applicants who do not meet the required conditions.

More Information

To learn more about ECP, producers can contact the Hawaii County FSA Office at 808-933-8334 or visit farmers.gov/protection-recovery.

FSA helps America's farmers, ranchers and forest landowners invest in, improve, protect and expand their agricultural operations through the delivery of agricultural programs for all Americans. FSA implements agricultural policy, administers credit and loan programs, and manages conservation, commodity, disaster recovery and marketing programs through a national network of state and county offices and locally elected county committees. For more information, visit fsa.usda.gov.