Fischer Wildfire Disaster Assistance Bill Becomes Law

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE) issued the following statement after her bill, the Emergency Conservation Program Improvement Act, became law:

"Nebraska farmers and ranchers will directly benefit from this law, and I am proud to have gotten it across the finish line," Fischer said. "I will be urging USDA to quickly issue new guidance to FSA so producers can begin receiving this improved assistance."

Fischer reintroduced this legislation on February 19, 2025. After returning from Nebraska to assess 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. The bill passed the U.S. House of Representatives on June 23, 2026.

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

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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