Severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds, and flooding have caused excessive damage in Brown County.

Farms and ranches suffering damage may be eligible for assistance under the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) administered by the Texas 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

–          Affects 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 $200,000 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 permanent fences

–          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 October 19, 2015 to November 17, 2015.