Natural Disaster Recovery (NDR) Program for Agriculture

Next steps

1. Determine Your Eligibility

   To be eligible under the Natural Disaster Recovery Program for Agriculture, applicants must meet the following requirements: 

   • Applicant must be an agricultural operation as defined by M.G.L c.128, Section 1A that is principally and substantially engaged in the business of production agriculture. 
   • Applicant must have suffered a minimum of 15% crop loss from one or more of the 2023 Natural Disasters listed: 
     • February 3-5, 2023 Deep Freeze that impacted a large amount of peach and stone fruit production
     • May 17-18, 2023 Frost that impacted a large amount of apple production and vineyards
     • July 9-16, 2023 Rainfall and Flooding that impacted a large amount of vegetable crop, field crops, and hay & forage crops
   • The agricultural operation must have been established before 2023 and in operation prior to the Natural Disaster
   • Crop losses must have occurred on property located within Massachusetts 

2. Review the Request for Response (RFR)

   Before submitting an application, read the Request for Response (RFR). The RFR provides a comprehensive summary of eligibility, program details and requirements, and necessary information for submitting an application. 

   Open PDF file, 1.2 MB,  FY24 Natural Disaster Recovery (NDR) Program for Agriculture - Request for Response (RFR) (English, PDF 1.2 MB)

3. Prepare for Applying

   You will need to provide the following as part of your application: 

   • A map or aerial photo with the property boundaries and the exact location of the impacted acreage being identified in the application. 
   • Applicants that are submitting losses for property that is leased, must include a copy of the lease agreement.
   • Applicants must complete and include with their application the Agricultural Loss Details & Budget Form found below. 
   • If an applicant has photos of the impacted acreage, the applicant should include the photos as part of their application. 

4. Submit Your Application

   Submit your application through the online application with the necessary documentation. 

5. MDAR Reviews Your Application

   MDAR will evaluate all applications submitted and will determine funding amounts based on the information specified in the RFR. 

6. Contract and Funding

   If your application is selected to receive funding, MDAR will issue you an award letter and contract documents that specify the terms and conditions of funding. You will need to sign a Standard Contract Form with The Commonwealth of Massachusetts and provide additional documentation including a W-9 and an Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) Form in order to receive payment.