We are all very familiar with what transpired during the 2024 hurricane season. And while we are still a few months away from the 2025 season, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) wants to remind landowners affected by hurricanes, floods or drought, NRCS provides disaster recovery assistance to farmers, ranchers, landowners and communities through a variety of USDA programs.
This includes the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), where help for producers can be found by the planning and implementation of conservation practices on land impacted by natural disasters. Eligible land includes cropland, rangeland, and non-industrial private forestland. Practices can include:
- Immediate soil erosion protection
- Minimizing noxious and invasive plant proliferation
- Protecting water quality
- Restoring livestock infrastructure necessary for grazing management
- Emergency animal mortality management
NRCS can also assist impacted communities by providing technical information to help them repair damaged farms and ranches in the wake of a natural disaster. NRCS conservationists can offer advice on preventing future erosion, covering and protecting exposed soil, improving soil health, directing floodwater away from areas vulnerable to erosion, preventative wildfire measures, and more.
And when natural disaster occurs the Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) Program offers vital recovery options for local communities to help people reduce hazards to life and property.
To learn more, contact NRCS at your local USDA Service Center.