Tree Assistance Program Part 2

Tree Assistance Program Part 2. I'm Greg Martin with today's Fruit Grower Report. Signup began Monday for orchardists and nursery tree growers to begin applying for benefits under the Tree Assistance Program or TAP. The program is designed to help replace fruit, nut, Christmas and nursery trees destroyed by natural disasters. Outreach Coordinator with Spokane's Farm Service Agency Chris Bieker, says there is another component to TAP. BIEKER: It can also include some financial assistance to help with pruning or removal or salvaging existing trees that have been damaged but the financial assistance we provide for damage – if there has also been loss of trees. Biekers says to be eligible you must have suffered more than a 15 percent death loss due to the natural disaster after adjustment for normal mortality. BIEKER: For the most part. 15% plus an adjustment for normal mortality which we're looking at about 3% so if you have sustained a loss of 18% or more. It pays up to 70% of replanting and then if you had damage and you are doing some pruning or removal it can pay up to 50% of the cost of whatever practice you are doing. Contact your local FSA office for more details and to sign up for the new TAP program. That's today's Fruit Grower Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.