The United States has comprehensive legislation aimed at preserving its agricultural heritage. The primary law governing assistance to farms and farmers is the Agricultural Assistance Act of 2003, which is administered by the U.S Department of Agriculture. Some of its key provisions are:
Other assistance includes the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP), which provides emergency funding and technical assistance for farmers and ranchers to rehabilitate farmland damaged by natural disasters and for carrying out emergency water conservation measures in periods of severe drought. Further assistance programs are the Emergency Loan Assistance (EM), Emergency Haying and Grazing Assistance, Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP), Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP), and Tree Assistance Program (TAP).
