FROM SCARLETT MADINGER, KANSAS LIVESTOCK ASSOCIATION:
Farmers and ranchers impacted by natural disasters may now be eligible for assistance through the Emergency Conservation Program, or ECP. The program is designed to help landowners recover from events like tornadoes that significantly impair agricultural productivity or threaten land and water resources.
ECP funding can help with debris removal, land grading, restoring permanent fences and conservation structures, and even implementing emergency water conservation measures during drought.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency says the program provides cost-share assistance for up to 75 percent of the cost of approved conservation practices. Limited resource producers may qualify for up to 90 percent.
Funding is limited and distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, with priority given based on the severity of the disaster and extent of the damage. Producers are urged to contact their local FSA office as soon as possible after a disaster to begin the application process. That process includes damage assessments, documentation of impact, and proposed conservation plans.
For more details, including enrollment deadlines and requirements, producers should reach out to their local Farm Service Agency office.