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LEWISTON — Farmers in Oxford, Androscoggin and Sagadahoc counties are eligible to apply for aid from the Emergency Conservation Program to assess damages from the Oct. 29 storm, U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency County Executive Director Marcia L Hall announced.
Signup began Jan. 2 and will end March 2.Approved ECP practices under the authorization include removing debris from farmland, grading, shaping, releveling or similar measures, restoring permanent fences and restoring conservation structures and other installations.
ECP is administered by FSA to assist producers with the cost of recovery activities required to restore the agricultural land to pre-disaster conditions. Producers who sustained damage from this disaster event are encouraged to submit their request for assistance before beginning reconstructive work. Submitting a request after completing qualified reconstructive work may result in forfeiture of program eligibility.
FSA county committees will complete an evaluation of submitted requests and obligate available funds based on an on-site inspection of the damaged land, taking into consideration the type and extent of the eligible damage. Completion of the on-site inspection does not guarantee that cost-share funding will be allocated.
The use of obligated funds is limited to return the land to the relative pre-disaster condition. Conservation concerns that were present on the land prior to the disaster are not eligible for ECP assistance. Approved ECP applicants may receive up to 75 percent of the cost of completing the approved restoration activity.
For more information on ECP, contact the Oxford County FSA office at 207-743-5789 or the Androscoggin/Sagadahoc office at 207-753-9400.
