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Assistance Opportunities
Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns announced that sign-up begins May 17, 2006, for four crop and livestock assistance programs providing aid to producers affected by the destructive 2005 hurricanes. There will be $2.8 billion in aid to assist victims of the 2005 hurricane season. USDA will provide $1.2 billion in aid to agricultural producers;primarily in Alabama, Florida,Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina,and Texas. USDA will provide disaster payments to farmers,ranchers and others through these programs. Programs are offered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA) and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).
Of that amount, $300 million in Emergency Watershed Protection Program funds
will be used to provide technical and financial assistance to help communities
and landowners address public safety and restoration efforts on private lands in
six states.
The breakdown of funding by state is:
| State |
Total Funding |
| Alabama |
$23,100,000 |
| Florida |
$67,800,000 |
| Louisiana |
$88,740,000 |
| Mississippi |
$107,286,500 |
| Tennessee |
$377,500 |
| Texas |
$12,696,000 |
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| TOTAL |
$300,000,000 |
- Emergency Forestry Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)
Through various appropriations bills there is $504.1 million available for CRP projects to offset merchantable timber losses on private non-industrial forests. Owners of land must have experienced at least a 35 percent loss of merchantable timber. Sign-up Begins June 19, 2006
Click here to learn more»
- Emergency Conservation Program (ECP)
will provide assistance to to private nonindustrial forest landowners for cleanup and downed timber removal and disposing of debris and animal carcasses that could adversely affect health and safety on non-Federal land in a hurricane-affected county with a maximum payment of $150 per acre.
- Emergency Watershed Protection Program (EWP)
2006 Defense Appropriations Act provides supplemental funding of $300 million for EWP to repair damages resulting from hurricanes that occurred during calendar year 2005.
- Longleaf Pine Initiative of the Conservation Reserve Program
Incentives for longleaf pine restoration have just been significantly bolstered by USDA’s October announcement of a new 250,000-acre continuous enrollment category for longleaf pine under the Conservation Reserve Program.
- Tree Indemnity Program
provides payments to eligible owners of commercially grown fruit trees, nut trees, bushes, and vines which produce an annual crop and that were lost or damaged.
- Feed Indemnity Program
provides payments to eligible livestock owners or cash lessees who suffered feed losses or increased feed costs as a result of an eligible hurricane.
- Hurricane Indemnity Program
provides payments to eligible agricultural producers who suffered crop losses and received a crop insurance indemnity or Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program payment.
- Livestock Indemnity Program
provides payments to eligible livestock owners and contract growers who suffered eligible livestock deaths.
- Hurricane Wildlife Relief Fund
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation has created a grant program to restore wildlife and habitats damaged by hurricanes.
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Information and help in applying for emergency assistance is available at the FSA county office serving your area.
Click to find your local FSA office in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, or Mississippi
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