A flood has caused severe damage in area(s) of the County.

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

$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 immediately.

To be eligible for assistance, practices must not be started until all of 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.

For more information about ECP, please contact the Brown County FSA Office at 325-643-2573  or visit www.fsa.usda.gov/sc.

Report Livestock Losses

The Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) provides assistance to eligible producers for livestock death losses in excess of normal mortality due to adverse weather and attacks by animals reintroduced into the wild by the federal government or protected by federal law. LIP compensates livestock owners and contract growers for livestock death losses in excess of normal mortality due to adverse weather, including losses due to hurricanes, floods, blizzards, wildfires, extreme heat or extreme cold.

For 2016, eligible losses must occur on or after Jan. 1, 2016, and before December 31, 2016. A notice of loss must be filed with FSA within 30 days of when the loss of livestock is apparent.  Participants must provide the following supporting documentation to their local FSA office no later than 30 calendar days after the end of the calendar year for which benefits are requested:

• Proof of death documentation
• Copy of growers contracts
• Proof of normal mortality documentation

USDA has established normal mortality rates for each type and weight range of eligible livestock, i.e. Adult Beef Cow = 1.5% and Non-Adult Beef Cattle (less than 400 pounds) = 3%. These established percentages reflect losses that are considered expected or typical under “normal” conditions. Producers who suffer livestock losses in 2016 must file both of the following:

• A notice of loss the earlier of 30 calendar days of when the loss was apparent or by January 30, 2017
• An application for payment by January 30, 2017.

Additional Information about LIP is available at your local FSA office or online at: www.fsa.usda.gov.