The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announced September 19, 2018, that funding is available to producers in select Wisconsin counties who experienced forest and agricultural land damage due to recent severe weather within the last two months. Angela Biggs, NRCS State Conservationist, announced farmers and forest landowners interested in the special Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) signup need to apply by November 16, 2018, for funding consideration. Applications are being taken at select USDA Service Centers in the storm-affected counties below.

Storm Relief funds will help producers repair damage to existing EQIP practices and allow producers to apply for new EQIP practices to address damage as a result of extreme rain, floods, and wind in select counties including Adams, Brown, Calumet, Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Dodge, Fond du Lac, Grant, Green, Green Lake, Iowa, Jefferson, Juneau, La Crosse, Lafayette, Manitowoc, Marquette, Monroe, Oconto, Ozaukee, Richland, Rock, Sauk, Sheboygan, Vernon, Washington, Waushara, and Winnebago Counties.

“NRCS can help farmers and woodland owners recover from these storms,” said Biggs. “We have EQIP practices to address storm damage, for example, soil erosion caused by flooded crop fields and wind damaged forests caused by recent tornados.”

All applications received by November 16, 2018, will be evaluated, prioritized and ranked for funding. Applicants may contact their local USDA Service Center to get started on producer eligibility and planning. Biggs reminds farmers who are interested in practices that may require permits to begin planning and seeking permits as soon as possible. 

Landowners interested in applying for EQIP funding should contact their local NRCS office at the USDA Service Center in their county. For more information, visit www.wi.nrcs.usda.gov.