OFFICE OF SEN. MORAN

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) announced today that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is allocating $6 million to help farmers and ranchers impacted by the wildfires which burned across western Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas this month.

“The availability of USDA conservation funds targeted toward restoring land impacted by the fires is appreciated,” said Sen. Moran. “I have asked USDA to provide maximum flexibility in administering the federal assistance programs in response to the disaster, and will continue to make clear the urgent need for more immediate assistance to those impacted.”

The funding, which is being made available through the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service’s (NRCS) Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), is designed to assist farmers and ranchers who are working to rebuild their facilities and restore their land. EQIP is a voluntary program which provides financial and technical assistance to agricultural producers to help plan and implement conservation practices that address priority local and state resources concerns.

Sen. Moran met with Acting USDA Secretary Michael Young last week to discuss the challenges facing farmers and ranchers impacted by the wildfires.

Background
· Producers who wish to apply for EQIP funding must submit a complete program application, establish “farm records”, and other documentation to support eligibility.
· Step-by-step assistance can be found at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/getstarted.
· Kansas will begin accepting applications in the near future.
· Producers in the affected counties are encouraged to check with their local NRCS service centers for additional information.