Simpson County has been approved to implement the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) for severe damage to eligible agricultural land related to a series of tornadoes on December 16, 2019. Landowners and agricultural producers who suffered a loss from this natural disaster may submit a request for cost-share assistance between February 18, 2020 and April 3, 2020. Farms and ranches suffering severe damage may be eligible for assistance under the ECP administered by FSA if the damage:
• Will be so costly to rehabilitate that Federal assistance is or will be needed to return the
land to productive agricultural use.
• s unusual and is not the type that would recur frequently in the same area.
• Affect the productive capacity of the farmland.
• Will impair or endanger the land.
A producer qualifying for ECP assistance may receive cost-share levels not to exceed 75 percent of the eligible cost of restoration measures. Certain limited resource and socially disadvantaged producers may receive up to 90 percent cost-share. No producer is eligible for more than $500,000 cost sharing per natural disaster occurrence. The following types of measures may be eligible:
• removing debris from NIPF
• site preparation on NIPF
• seeding establishing on NIPF, and
• restoring conservation structures and other similar installations.
To be eligible for assistance, practices must not be started until all of the following are met:
• an application for financial assistance (FSA-848) has been filed
• the local FSA County Committee (COC) or its representative has conducted an onsite inspection of the damaged area
• the Agency responsible for technical assistance, such as the State forestry agency has made a needs determination required for rehabilitation.
Affected producers should contact the Simpson County FSA Office at 601-847-0035, extension 2, to make an appointment to file an application for assistance as soon as possible, but no later than close of business Friday, April 3, 2020.
In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English. To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by:
(1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;
(2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or
(3) email: program.intake@usda.gov.
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
