Tree Assistance Program

TAP provides financial assistance to eligible orchardists and nursery tree growers to replant or rehabilitate eligible trees, bushes, and vines lost by natural disasters.

To be eligible for benefits, an individual or legal entity must be a citizen of the United States (U.S.); Resident alien; Partnership of citizens of the U.S; or Corporation, limited liability corporation, or other farm organizational structure organized under State law. An eligible orchardist is a person or legal entity that produces annual crops from trees, bushes, or vines for commercial purposes. An eligible nursery tree grower is a person or legal entity that produces nursery, ornamental, fruit, nut, or Christmas trees for commercial sale. To qualify for TAP, the eligible orchardist or nursery tree grower must have planted, continuously owned, and suffered eligible losses of trees, bushes, or vines that were planted for commercial purposes; and replaced eligible trees, bushes, and vines within 12 months from the date the application is approved.

Eligible losses must be the result of a natural disaster. The stand must have sustained a mortality loss in excess of 15 percent after adjustment for normal mortality, or where applicable, damage in excess of 15 percent, adjusted for normal mortality and normal damage, that occurred in the calendar year (or loss period in the case of plant disease) for which benefits are being requested. The loss could not have been prevented through reasonable and available measures; the damage or loss must be visible and obvious to the FSA representative; and FSA may require information from a qualified expert to determine the extent of loss in the case of plant disease or insect infestation.

An eligible natural disaster means plant disease, insect infestation, drought, fire, freeze, flood, earthquake, lightning, or other natural occurrence of such magnitude or severity so as to be considered disastrous.

Payments to eligible orchardist or nursery tree growers who suffered losses in excess of 15 percent mortality will be calculated using the lesser of 65 percent of the actual cost of the practice or the amount calculated using rates established by the Deputy Administrator for the practice. For the cost of pruning, removal, and other costs incurred for salvaging damaged trees, bushes, or vines, or in the case of mortality, to prepare the land to replant trees, bushes, or vines, the lesser of 50 percent of the actual cost of the practice, or the amount calculated using rates established by the Deputy Administrator for the practice. Beginning farmers and ranchers and veteran farmers and ranchers will receive 75 percent of the cost of pruning, removal, and other costs incurred for salvaging the existing plants, or in the case of plant mortality, to prepare land for replanting.