USDA offers assistance to farmers, ranchers affected by wildfires
(KION) The U.S. Department of Agriculture is hoping to help California farmers and ranchers affected by wildfires by offering technical and financial assistance.
Some of the disaster assistance programs the USDA's Farm Service Agency offers include:
- Livestock Indemnity Program
- Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees and Farm-raised Fish
- Emergency Conservation Program
- Emergency Forest Restoration Program
- Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program
- Tree Assistance Program
Some areas may also be eligible for low-interest emergency loans.
The USDA said farmers and livestock producers should contact their local USDA Service Center to find out which documents will be needed to get assistance, such as farm records, receipts and pictures of damages or losses.
The USDA offers the Environmental Quality Incentives Program's Catastrophic Fire Recovery practice to provide resource protection for areas burned by wildfires.
Those with federal crop insurance are asked to contact their crop insurance agent and report damage within 72 hours of finding the damage. It should be followed up in writing within 15 days.
