NRCS Offers Early Funding for Wildfire Rehabilitation

Contact:
Erik Suffridge (406) 587-6849
Robert Moler (406) 587-6842

Bozeman, Mont. August 20, 2007--The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is making nearly $200,000 available right now to agricultural producers whose property has been affected by the 2007 wildfires in Montana.

To apply for these funds being made available through a special initiative of the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, producers must apply at their local NRCS office by Sep. 4, 2007. Producers must ensure that all information needed by NRCS to determine eligibility is submitted by this deadline.

Eligible agricultural producers who sustain damage on private rangelands from a documented 2007 wildfire may be eligible for a one-time $11 per acre incentive payment. This incentive payment is intended to partially reimburse these livestock producers for replacing fence, reestablishing livestock watering facilities, and allowing for the recovery of natural vegetation through deferred grazing.

“We want to be responsive to the conservation needs of producers whose private lands have been impacted by this wildfire season,” said Carrie Mosley, acting state conservationist.

Mosley said a key requirement is that producers must agree to defer grazing on the contracted acres from the time of the fire until Oct. 1, 2008. No more than 2,500 acres can be contracted per agricultural operation under this special initiative. Mosley stressed that adhering to program rules will not guarantee approval of a producer’s application; however, it does mean interested producers will remain eligible for funding consideration

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