Graham County producers have until December 12 to submit a cost-share request for Emergency Conservation Program sign-up 1317 for flooding
Contributed Article/Courtesy USDA
PIMA – In June 2024, a flood caused severe damage in the Pima and Eden areas of Graham County. Farms and ranches suffering severe damage may be eligible for assistance under the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) administered by the Graham/Greenlee Farm Service Agency (FSA) County Office if the damage:
· will be so costly to rehabilitate that Federal assistance is or will be needed to return the land to productive agricultural use
· is unusual and is not the type that would recur frequently in the same area
· affect the productive capacity of the farmland
· will impair or endanger the land.
A producer qualifying for ECP assistance may receive cost-share levels not to exceed 75 percent of the eligible cost of restoration measures. No producer is eligible for more than $500,000 cost sharing per natural disaster occurrence. The following types of measures may be eligible:
· Removing debris from farmland
· Grading, shaping, or releveling severely damaged farmland
· Restoring conservation structures and other similar installations.
Producers who have suffered a loss from a natural disaster may contact the local FSA County Office and request assistance from Tuesday, Nov. 12 to Thursday, Dec. 12.
To be eligible for assistance, practices must not be started until all the following are met:
· An application for cost-share assistance has been filed
· The local FSA County Committee (COC) or its representative has conducted an onsite inspection of the damaged area
· The agency responsible for technical assistance, such as the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), has made a needs determination, which may include cubic yards of earthmoving, etc., required for rehabilitation.
Producers should contact the Graham/Greenlee County FSA Office at (928) 428-5560 ext 2 to set up an appointment to complete an FSA-801 Emergency Conservation Program Cost Share Request.
