Emergency Conservation Program Available in Lemhi/North Custer

Flooding along the Salmon River and its tributaries has caused severe damage in Lemhi and North Custer Counties. Farms and ranches suffering severe damage may be eligible for assistance under the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) administered by the Lemhi/North Custer 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 Lemhi/North Custer FSA County Office and request assistance from September 11, 2017 to October 10, 2017. 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 onsiteinspection of the damaged area·       the Agency responsible for technical assistance, such as the Natural ResourceConservation Service (NRCS), has made a needs determination, which may include cubic yards of earthmoving, etc., required for rehabilitation. For more information about the Emergency Conservation Program, contact the Lemhi/North Custer FSA Office, located at 945 Riverfront Drive in Salmon, at 208-756-4262.