Emergency Conservation Program Improvement Act of 2025

The Emergency Conservation Program Improvement Act of 2025 would modify two federal programs that help agricultural producers and forest landowners recover from natural disasters. If enacted, the bill would expand which types of damage qualify for emergency payments and increase the upfront financial assistance available to those affected.

Under current law, farmers and forest owners can receive cost-sharing payments to repair or replace structures damaged by disasters, but advance payments are limited. This bill would increase advance payments from 25% to 75% of replacement or rehabilitation costs for farmland and structures, and would allow advance payments of up to 75% for forest landowners for the first time. Additionally, the bill would expand eligibility to cover damage from wildfires that are not naturally caused, including those caused by the federal government, provided the spread of the fire itself results from natural causes.

The bill is currently under consideration in the House Subcommittee on Conservation, Research, and Biotechnology. If it advances and is enacted, these changes could help farmers and forest owners recover more quickly from disasters by providing larger upfront payments before they complete repairs or rehabilitation work.