What the ERP Program Data Shows
The Emergency Relief Program (ERP) is a disaster program administered by the USDA Farm Service Agency, and the data compiled on this page draws directly from the Farm Income and Wealth Statistics series published by the USDA Economic Research Service. ERP provides payments to agricultural producers who suffered losses due to wildfires, droughts, floods, and other qualifying natural disasters. Cumulative program receipts by state are visible in the table below, drawn from 1995–2024 federal outlays reported by ERS and cross-checked against FSA county-level obligations. These are not academic estimates — they are the dollars that actually moved from the US Treasury into farmer and rancher accounts during the reporting period.
State concentration of disaster dollars matters more than the national total. The top three recipients — Texas ($1.2B in cumulative government payments), Oklahoma ($823M in cumulative government payments), Kansas ($727M in cumulative government payments) — receive a disproportionate share because their production profiles align with the commodities and acreages covered by ERP. For analysts, that geographic concentration is the headline: Farm Bill negotiations repeatedly revolve around whether a disaster-heavy program continues at current levels, tightens its eligibility rules, or sees its funding shifted into other Titles of the statute.
Reading ERP data in isolation misses the full picture. USDA farm policy is a stack of overlapping programs — commodity, conservation, insurance, and disaster — and any individual program's payments should be compared against total farm program receipts per state, net farm income, and the crop-insurance loss ratio to see whether federal support is cushioning a price shock, compensating for a weather event, or paying for long-term land stewardship. Use the state links in the table below and the Farm Bill and subsidy guides in the sidebar to see how ERP fits into each recipient state's full federal-support portfolio before drawing conclusions about program effectiveness or equity.
About This Program
ERP provides payments to agricultural producers who suffered losses due to wildfires, droughts, floods, and other qualifying natural disasters.
States by Total Payments
States ranked by cumulative government payments (1995–2024). Emergency Relief Program payments are included in the totals below.
| # | State | Total Payments |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas | $1.2B |
| 2 | Oklahoma | $823M |
| 3 | Kansas | $727M |
| 4 | Iowa | $725M |
| 5 | California | $666M |
| 6 | Nebraska | $624M |
| 7 | South Dakota | $590M |
| 8 | Arkansas | $509M |
| 9 | Minnesota | $508M |
| 10 | Missouri | $505M |
Source: USDA Farm Service Agency, Farm Income and Wealth Statistics (1995-2024) USDA Farm Service Agency, Farm Income and Wealth Statistics (1995-2024)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Emergency Relief Program (ERP)?
The Emergency Relief Program (ERP) is a USDA disaster program. ERP provides payments to agricultural producers who suffered losses due to wildfires, droughts, floods, and other qualifying natural disasters.
Who administers the ERP program?
The Emergency Relief Program is administered by the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA). Farmers and ranchers apply through their local FSA county office. Eligibility and payment calculations vary by program rules set in the Farm Bill.
How does the ERP differ from other USDA programs?
The ERP falls under the disaster category of USDA programs. Disaster programs respond to weather events and market disruptions, unlike commodity programs that protect crop prices or conservation programs that reward stewardship.
Which states receive the most from USDA disaster programs?
The top recipients of USDA payments tend to be major agricultural states. Leading states by total government payments include Texas ($1.2B), Oklahoma ($823M), Kansas ($727M). State rankings vary by program category.
Program Details
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Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the USDA Farm Service Agency. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.