Follow the Rules When Seeking FSA Disaster Aid

Nebraska farmers affected by the devastating effects of recent floods and blizzards can use USDA Farm Service Agency cost-sharing programs to help recover financially. However, there are several rules and regulations producers must follow to receive aid. The majority of the meeting was dedicated to discussing the Emergency Conservation Program. County Executive Director for the Dodge-Sarpy/Douglas FSA Bryan Ralston told the crowd the program provides cost-share to producers who have had severe damage to farmland and pastures due to a natural disaster.The program pays up to 75% of the actual cost to repair land and the cost-share cannot exceed 50% of the agricultural market value of the affected land.Practices available to producers to address the damage include debris removal from crop and pasture land, fence restoration, grading, shaping and leveling land, conservation structure restoration and shelterbelt restoration.The requirements of ECP stipulate the damage to fields must be of such magnitude that it would be too costly for the producer to rehabilitate without federal assistance, he said. The minimum qualifying cost of restoration is $1,000 per participant.