Tree Assistance Program (TAP)
TAP coverage expanded to biennial trees and pest infestations. 120-day approval requirement. Initial partial payments now allowed before incurring replanting costs.
What TAP does
The Tree Assistance Program (TAP) provides payments to eligible orchardists, nursery growers, and tree nut producers to replant or rehabilitate trees, bushes, and vines damaged by natural disasters. Eligible losses must exceed normal mortality.
Standard TAP payments:
- 65% of the cost of replanting trees or nursery stock
- 50% of the cost of rehabilitation (pruning, removal, etc.)
What changed in the Farm Bill 2.0
Three meaningful improvements:
1. Expanded coverage
- Biennial tree crops are now covered
- Pest infestations would become eligible losses (not just natural disasters) if enacted
- Trees no longer producing economically viable crops due to disasters are explicitly eligible
2. 120-day approval requirement
USDA must now approve or deny TAP applications within 120 days of submission. This is enforceable, a long-overdue accountability provision.
3. Initial partial payments
Recipients can receive an initial partial payment before incurring replanting or rehabilitation costs. This matters for small growers without cash reserves to front the work.
The initial payment authority sunsets September 30, 2035.
4. Replanting flexibility
Recipients can replant alternative varieties, stand densities, or locations without losing eligibility. Additional payments are not provided for these alternatives.
Application timeline
The 120-day approval window is significant. After damage occurs:
- Document losses (photos, records)
- Apply through your local FSA county office
- USDA must approve/deny within 120 days
- Initial payment can be requested before incurring costs
- Replanting/rehabilitation must occur within 2 years of approval
Who TAP matters for
- Orchardists: apple, peach, cherry, pear, citrus, pecan, walnut, almond, pistachio
- Vineyard operators: wine grapes, table grapes
- Nursery growers: including Christmas tree producers
- Berry producers: newly eligible biennial crops
- Tree nut producers