To the President’s Desk: Fischer Bill to Expedite Wildfire Disaster Relief

WASHINGTON - Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed Senator Deb Fischer's (R-NE) Emergency Conservation Program Improvement Act to expedite ag producers' access to federal disaster relief under the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) and Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP).

This legislation passed the Senate on March 24, 2026, and will now be sent to the president's desk to be signed into law.

"This is great news for farmers and ranchers in Nebraska who suffered devastating losses from wildfires this spring," Fischer said. "Producers need this assistance as soon as possible, and we've helped make sure bureaucracy doesn't stand in the way. I thank my colleagues in both chambers of Congress for understanding the urgency of getting this done."

Fischer reintroduced this legislation on February 19, 2025. After returning from Nebraska for visits assessing the Morrill fire damage with U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, Fischer successfully passed the bill with a unanimous vote on the Senate floor.

This legislation is supported by the Nebraska Cattlemen and the Nebraska Farm Bureau Federation.

Craig Uden, President, Nebraska Cattlemen, said, "We cannot overstate the importance of this legislation for cattle producers in the Beef State as we continue recovering from the devastating wildfires our industry has faced. Our livelihoods depend on rebuilding quickly, and we cannot afford delays caused by unnecessary red tape. We thank Senator Fischer for her leadership in ensuring Nebraska's beef producers have the flexibility needed to move forward with recovery and rebuilding."

Mark McHargue, President, Nebraska Farm Bureau Federation, said, "For many, federal disaster assistance programs work too slowly and often require farm and ranch families to battle through layers of red tape and bureaucratic hurdles. The passage of Nebraska Senator Deb Fischer's Emergency Conservation Program Improvement Act through the House now sends the bill to President Trump's desk to be signed into law. The flexibilities and reforms found in this new bill will ensure farmers and ranchers can receive aid when they need it the most."

Background

The Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) and Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP) were created to help to reduce the burden of natural disasters by providing producers with financial and technical assistance to repair and restore their land.

These programs, however, are often slow to respond to wildfires, floods, and other disasters. This means producers face significant delays and red tape when trying to access financial assistance.

For many producers, that significant time delay forces them to put off needed repair work, or risk beginning the recovery process without a guarantee of federal help.

The Emergency Conservation Program Improvement Act addresses these issues by reforming the programs. The bill specifically gives producers impacted by disasters the option to receive an advance on cost-sharing relief that is based on existing USDA estimates.

This expedited option ensures family farmers and ranchers in dire need of help can begin the critical work of restoring their property to productive levels.

The Emergency Conservation Program Improvement Act also reframes eligibility for relief from wildfire damage to include any wildfire caused or spread due to natural causes, as well as wildfires caused by the federal government.

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