Baton Rouge Reporter

U.S. Congressman Garret Graves (South Louisiana) announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) approved all 64 Louisiana parishes for the Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP). This program aims to restore and rehabilitate private forest lands impacted by natural disasters and extreme weather events.

“Last year’s drought parched Louisiana’s pine forests, leaving them particularly vulnerable to the voracious pine beetles that are already devastating our pine trees, environment, and timber economy,” said Congressman Graves. “This domino effect poses significant ecological and economic challenges for Louisiana. These forests aren’t just a collection of trees – they preserve our watersheds, sustain biodiversity, and play a significant role in our agricultural economy. I appreciate the USDA working with us to provide relief and rehab avenues to forest landowners who are feeling the cascading effects of extreme weather.”