Paris, Tenn.–The tornado that crossed Henry County on December 10th, 2021 caused severe damage in its path to farms, farm structures, equipment and fences.
If you’ve suffered severe damage on your farm, you may be eligible for assistance under the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) administered by the Henry County Farm Service Agency (FSA)
For land to be eligible, the natural disaster must create new conservation problems that, if untreated, would:
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be so costly to rehabilitate that Federal assistance is or will be needed to return the land to productive agricultural use
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is unusual and is not the type that would recur frequently in the same area
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affect the productive capacity of the farmland
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impair or endanger the land
If you qualify for ECP assistance, you may receive cost-share levels not to exceed 75 percent of the eligible cost of restoration measures. Eligible socially disadvantaged and beginning farmers and ranchers can receive up to 90 percent of the eligible cost of restoration. No one is eligible for more than $500,000 cost sharing per natural disaster occurrence.
If you’ve suffered a loss on your farm from the tornado and need assistance with debris removal from farm fields or to repair or replace livestock fencing you may contact the local FSA County Office and request assistance from January 24, 2022 to February 24, 2022.
To be eligible for assistance, practices must not be started until all the following are met:
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an application for cost-share assistance has been filed prior to beginning cleanup or fence repairs, unless a waiver can be approved to allow for emergency cleanup and fence repairs prior to approval.
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the local FSA County Committee (COC) or its representative has conducted an onsite inspection of the damaged area
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the Agency responsible for technical assistance, such as the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), has made a needs determination, which may include cubic yards of earthmoving, etc., required for rehabilitation
For more information about ECP, contact your Henry County USDA Service Center at 731-642-4522 or visit fsa.usda.gov.
Photo: A view of some of the severe damage along Lampkins Road in Cottage Grove the day after the tornado. Shannon McFarlin photo.