by Kate Evans
While Morgan County’s drought designation has dropped to moderate drought, the damage and impact of the summer’s extreme lack of rain is already done. Farmers and ag producers who are taking inventory of those effects have several avenues to get help.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) is offering disaster assistance to West Virginia agricultural producers whose operations have been significantly impacted by this year’s drought. The USDA Farm Service Agency has assistance available to help farmers and livestock producers recover from adverse weather events.
“Impacted producers should contact their local USDA Service Center to report losses and learn more about program options to assist in their recovery from crop, land, infrastructure and livestock losses and damages,” stressed a USDA press release.
Disaster assistance
USDA Disaster Assistance programs include the 2024 Livestock Forage Disaster (LFD) Program for livestock producers who suffered grazing losses due to the drought and the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-raised Fish Program which provides eligible producers with compensation for above normal costs for hauling water and feed to livestock and transporting livestock to other grazing pastures.
To participate in the Livestock Forage Disaster Program producers mush own, cash lease or contract grow eligible livestock on the date of the qualifying drought, certify their grazing loss was due to drought and submit an acreage grazing loss report to the Farm Service Agency.
To qualify for the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-raised Fish program, producers must complete a notice of loss and a payment application no later than the annual program application deadline of January 30, 2025 for 2024 calendar year losses.
Cost-share assistance may be available for eligible orchardists and nursery tree growers through the Tree Assistance Program (TAP) to replant or rehabilitate eligible trees, bushes or vines.
The Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP)-(crop insurance coverage) covers the crop but not the plants or trees in all cases. For the Tree Assistance Program the application must be filed within 90 days of the disaster event or date of when the loss is apparent.
John Perdue, West Virginia Farm Service Agency Executive Director, said in the press release, “Once you are able to evaluate the drought impact on your operation, be sure to contact your local Farm Service Agency county office to timely report all crop and livestock damages and losses. To expedite FSA disaster assistance, you will likely need to provide documents, such as farm records, herd inventory, receipts and pictures of damages or losses.”
Loans
The Farm Service Agency also offers different direct and guaranteed farm loans including operating and emergency farm loans to farmers that can’t secure commercial financing. Producers in counties with a primary or a contiguous disaster designation may be eligible for low interest emergency loans to help them recover from losses or damage from drought, flooding or natural disasters.
Loans can help farmers replace essential property, purchase livestock, equipment, feed and seed, cover essential family living expenses or refinance farm-related debts.
Emergency loan applications must be received within eight months of the county’s disaster date.
Emergency Programs
The Farm Service Agency Emergency Conservation Program and Emergency Forest Restoration Program can assist landowners and forest stewards with financial and technical assistance to implement emergency water conservation measures, restore fencing, remove debris, replace damaged irrigation systems, land leveling and more.
The Emergency Conservation Program is a cost-sharing program providing help to implement emergency water conservation measures in periods of severe drought, according to a USDA press release.
Eligible drought practices could include providing emergency water during severe drought for grazing and confined livestock, for existing irrigation systems for orchards and vineyards and portable water pumps for livestock.
WV Farm Service Agency (FSA) Executive Director John Perdue said, “it’s imperative that you call our office to determine program eligibility and obtain a conservation plan and practice approval before you take any action.”
A county Farm Service Agency committee reviews Emergency Conservation Program applications, a conservation plan is created with the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service and a review process follows. A conservation plan doesn’t guarantee that cost-sharing funding will be provided.
All West Virginia counties are accepting applications for the Emergency Conservation Program, according to an October 2 USDA press release. Sign-up for the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) in approved counties starts October 9 and ends November 15.
Producers impacted by drought must apply for Emergency Conservation Program assistance before beginning work. Farmers and growers could receive advance payments, up to 25% of the approved cost share if requested.
Emergency Conservation Program assistance is reimbursed at no more that 75% of the allowable cost after the approved recovery activity is complete. Producers considered limited resource, socially disadvantaged and beginning farmers and ranchers can receive up to 90% cost-share.
Moderate drought now
Morgan County is currently at a D1 designation of moderate drought. This summer it had a D3 designation of extreme drought on July 16, said USDA Berkeley-Morgan County Farm Service Agency Executive Director Barbara “Barbie” Elliott.
The Livestock Forage Disaster Program changes every Thursday with the U.S. Drought Monitor designations, Elliott said. The drought monitor is produced jointly by the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, NOAA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Every Monday Elliott reports how much rain we get every week along with the conditions of the crops, hay and pastures.
Some ran out of water this summer because their wells, ponds or creeks went dry. Now we’ve gotten all this rain and people’s ponds and wells are filling back up, Elliott said. Things have improved, but it’s too late for some.
Contacts
Farmers and agricultural producers should call Barbie Elliott at the USDA Farm Service Agency in Martinsburg at 681- 304-247-3002 to inquire about drought disaster assistance. For loan questions and requirements, call Carol Woods, farm loan analyst, at 681-247-3003. Woods will then refer their application to loan manager Dale Dugan.
Elliott urged farmers and needing drought assistance to call so they can go over the eligibility requirements and program options that can help them.
“We’re happy to help everybody,” she said.
Additional USDA disaster assistance information can be found on farmers.gov.
