April 27, 2023 - DAVIS, Calif. – The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in California is setting aside $2 million in federal financial assistance to help California’s agricultural producers recover from recent flooding. This funding is in addition to recent USDA funding allocated through the USDA Emergency Watershed Protection Program (administered by NRCS) and the USDA Emergency Conservation Program (administered by the USDA Farm Service Agency).  

“NRCS is working with farmers and ranchers to assess the damage to their land and to provide conservation planning assistance to help them return back to normal operations,” said NRCS California State Conservationist Carlos Suarez. “We have been hearing from our customers that this funding is needed, and we are answering that call.”

This funding applies to resource concerns that threaten the ongoing agricultural operation or create an imminent threat to agricultural operations. Eligible emergency practices primarily fall into four categories of repairing or stabilizing animal waste structures, irrigation equipment, forestry improvement, or vehicle access.

Eligible counties include Alameda, Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, Contra Costa, Del Norte, El Dorado, Fresno, Glenn, Humboldt, Imperial Inyo, Kern, Kings, Los Angeles, Madera, Marin, Mariposa, Mendocino, Merced, Modoc, Monterey, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, San Benito, San Diego, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Tulare, Tuolumne, Ventura, Yolo and Yuba.

Eligible Practice Damaged by Natural Disaster

• For damaged practices installed and certified under an active Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) contract that has not yet expired, the contract may be modified allowing participant to re-install the damaged practice(s).
• For damaged practices installed and certified under a past EQIP contract, producers may sign up for EQIP to re-install the practice(s) at the current payment rates.
• For damaged practices that were never certified by NRCS through any conservation program, producers may sign up for EQIP to install NRCS practices as long as all EQIP eligibility requirements are met.

Other Requirements for NRCS Practices

• All installed practices must meet NRCS practice standards including: design and specifications.
• Practices installed or work performed prior to an approved engineering design or practice plan is not eligible for EQIP.
• Practices approved for EQIP-Disaster funding do not overlap with the Farm Service Agency’s Emergency Conservation Program (ECP). Producers should seek assistance either through ECP or EQIP depending on the type of practice(s) that was damaged.

The deadline to apply for this disaster assistance funding is June 16, 2023. Please visit your local NRCS service center to apply, which can be found at https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/contact/find-a-service-center.

Since its inception in 1935, NRCS has worked in partnership with private landowners and a variety of local, state, and federal conservation partners to deliver conservation based on specific, local needs. Please visit www.ca.nrcs.usda.gov for more information about NRCS.
Source: NRCS