USDA highlights support programs for Alabama farmers hit by severe weather

Following recent severe weather, the U.S. Department of Agriculture highlighted disaster support and readiness programs the agency offers to Alabama farmers on Thursday. 

USDA programs that Alabama agricultural workers are eligible for include disaster assistance, risk management, conservation and community assistance initiatives. 

“Agricultural operations in Alabama have been significantly impacted by recent severe weather, including tornadoes, straight-line winds, snow, sleet and hail,” the agency wrote. “[USDA] has technical and financial assistance available to help farmers and livestock producers recover from these adverse weather events.”

USDA Farm Production and Conservation Under Secretary Richard Fordyce emphasized the value of the programs for agricultural workers who have been negatively impacted by recent severe weather.

“USDA has a suite of programs to support farmers and ranchers as they recover from disasters,” said Fordyce. “I encourage impacted producers to contact their local USDA Service Center to report losses and learn more about program options available to assist in their recovery from crop, land, infrastructure, and livestock losses and damages.”  

Producers who experience livestock deaths in excess of normal mortality may be eligible for the USDA Livestock Indemnity Program, or LIP, which provides payments equal to 75 percent of the fair market value of the livestock.

The agency’s Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program, ELAP, provides eligible producers compensation for feed and grain losses.

Eligible orchardists and nursery tree growers may also be eligible for cost-share assistance through the Tree Assistance Program, TAP, to replant or rehabilitate trees, bushes and vines. TAP complements the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program, NAP, which provides crop insurance coverage, but does not cover plants and trees in all cases.

Monica Carroll, state executive director for FSA in Alabama, urged agricultural workers to complete “timely” reports on all crop, livestock and farm infrastructure damages with their local USDA Farm Services Agency county office.

“As you evaluate your operation, take time to gather important documents you may need to get assistance, including farm records, herd inventory, receipts and pictures of damages or losses,” she said.    

USDA also highlighted FSA’s various direct and guaranteed farm loans, including operating and emergency loans, which are available to producers who are unable to secure commercial funding. Funding opportunities include low-interest emergency loans for producers in counties with a primary or contiguous disaster designation to assist in recovery from production and physical losses.

“Loans can help producers replace essential property, purchase inputs like livestock, equipment, feed and seed, cover family living expenses or refinance farm-related debts and other needs,” the agency wrote.

The department’s Farm Storage Facility Loan Program, FSFL, provides low-interest financing for producers to build, repair, replace, or upgrade commodity storage facilities. Loan terms vary from three to 12 years.

FSA’s Emergency Conservation Program, ECP, and Emergency Forest Restoration Program, EFRP, can provide financial assistance to restore damaged farmland, conservation structures, or forests.

Meanwhile, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, NRCS, can provide technical assistance during recovery efforts by helping producers plan and implement conservation practices on farms and working forests following natural disasters.

The Environmental Quality Incentives Program, EQIP, can also assist producers in planning and implementing conservation practices on lands impacted by natural disasters.

“At USDA, we serve as a partner to help landowners with their resiliency and recovery efforts,” said Ben Malone, NRCS state conservationist in Alabama. “Our staff will work one-on-one with landowners to make assessments of the damages and develop methods that focus on effective recovery of the land.” 

Additional NRCS programs include the Emergency Watershed Protection program, EWP, which aids local government sponsors with the costs of addressing watershed issues such as streambank stabilization and hazard or debris removal.

USDA urged producers with NAP coverage to report crop damage to their local FSA office within 15 days of the loss becoming apparent. Hand-harvested crops suffering damage must be reported within 72 hours.

Producers with risk protection through Federal Crop Insurance should report crop damage to their crop insurance agent within 72 hours of discovering damage and follow up with the agent in writing within 15 days. 

“Crop insurance and other USDA risk management options are offered to help producers manage risk because we never know what nature has in store for the future,” said Davina Lee, director of the USDA Risk Management Agency’s regional office serving Alabama.

“Disasters can be trying for producers, and they should stay in close contact with their crop insurance agent. Producers can be assured that the Approved Insurance Providers, loss adjusters and agents are experienced and well-trained in handling these types of events,” Lee added.

Additional information on USDA disaster and community support, risk management and conservation programs may be found on the agency’s website.