Disaster Funds Available in 11 States

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) funds are being made available to farmers and ranchers in 14 states to repair farmland damaged by natural disasters in 2010.

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is committed to helping farmers and ranchers restore conservation measures on farmland devastated by the recent floods, tornadoes and other disasters," said Vilsack.

Eligible producers in 11 states (Ark., Conn., Hawaii, Ky., Mo., Miss., N.H., Okla., R.I., Tenn. and Wash.) will be able to use the more than $12 million being made available through ECP to remove farmland debris, restore fences, grade and shape land and repair conservation structures that were damaged by floods, tornadoes or wildfires and to carry out emergency water conservation measures after severe drought.

USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA) county committees determine land eligibility based upon on-site inspections of damage, taking into account the type and extent of damage. Producers should contact the local FSA office for details.

A national map depicting counties receiving FSA funds and disaster types is at www.fsa.usda.gov/Internet/FSA_File/ecp_may2010_map.pdf. Additional information on eligibility requirements and applications is available at http://disaster.fsa.usda.gov.