Tornado damage prompts emergency requests

The events of April 7, 2006 will not go away any time soon. Fear and destruction lay in the paths of several farms and homesteads of Warren Countians from early Friday afternoon until late into the night. Sadly, tornados took the lives of three people here in the county.

?Because of the severe damage in the Morrison and Green Hill areas of the county, farms and ranches suffering severe damage may be eligible for assistance under the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) administered by the Warren County Farm Service Agency (FSA) county office 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; if the damage is unusual and is not the type that would recur frequently in the same area; if the damage will affect the productive capacity of the farmland; and if the damage will impair or endanger the land,? said Vickie Bouldin, Chairperson of the Warren County Committee.

A producer qualifying for ECP assistance may receive cost-share levels not to exceed 75 percent of the eligible cost of restoration measures. No producer is eligible for more than $200,000 cost sharing per natural disaster occurrence. The following types of measures may be eligible:

? Removing debris from farmland

? Restoring permanent fences

Bouldin says producers who have suffered a loss from a natural disaster may contact the local FSA county office and request assistance from April 17 through May 17, 2006.

?Producers need to also be informed that although the Warren County Office has accepted the request and conducted a field visit, this does not imply that cost share assistance will be made available,? she noted.

To be eligible for assistance, practices must not be started until all of the following are met:

(1) an application for cost-share assistance has been filed,

2) the local FSA County Committee (COC) or its representative has conducted an onsite inspection of the damaged area,

(3) The Agency responsible for technical assistance, such as the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), has made a needs determination.

Bouldin says in certain instances, the Warren County Committee, with the Tennessee State Committee concurrence, may grant relief on a case-by-case basis for those producers who had to take immediate steps to prevent further losses, provided they apply within 15 calendar days at the Warren County FSA Office.

Bouldin went on to say that the program is limited to damaged farmland that is so costly to repair that Federal Assistance is REQUIRED to return the land to productive agricultural use.

?Cost sharing is NOT GUARANTEED at the time of signup. Producers must have a minimum of $1000 of eligible damage before ECP may be authorized; the exception being limited resource producers,? she said.

Persons who feel they may qualify for ECP assistance should contact the Warren County Farm Service Agency located at 811 Faulkner Springs Road or telephone (931) 473-2277.