Fire-affected cattle producers can apply for disaster relief

    Officials with the Nebraska Cattlemen are accepting disaster relief applications until Sept. 30 for beef cattle producers who were affected by fires in the state reported through the Nebraska Emergency Management Association Watch Center.
    Applicants may submit documentation for agriculture-related expenses not paid for by insurance or other governmental sources related to fencing, pens, agricultural structure repair, feed, livestock removal or additional necessary agricultural-related costs directly associated with rebuilding from the natural disaster.
    Applicants must demonstrate that expenses/losses incurred were related to agriculture production and directly caused by recent wildfires in the state of Nebraska.
    Submitted applications will be reviewed individually by a committee convened by the Nebraska Cattlemen Disaster Relief Fund, and eligibility of expenses will be determined on a case-by-case basis.
    Applicants are encouraged to check with a tax professional regarding tax liability resulting from the payments from the fund.
    Membership in the Nebraska Cattlemen is not required for an applicant to receive relief.
    To learn more about how to apply, visit www.nebraska cattlemen.org/disaster-relief-fund.
    Questions can also be directed to the Nebraska Cattlemen office at 402-475-2333.
NCCS funds also available
    The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service also has funds to assist ag producers with land impacted by recent wildfires.
    Landowners have until Aug. 19 to apply.
    Through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program,  funding is available to help producers plan and implement conservation practices on farms and ranches impacted by natural disasters.
    EQIP funding is available to assist in this wildfire recovery effort by planting cover crops on impacted cropland and to defer grazing on rangeland.
    “Numerous fires have impacted farmers and ranchers across Nebraska leaving ground vulnerable to erosion,” said Rob Lawson, state conservationist for NRCS.
    “We can assist landowners with installing conservation practices to help prevent any further damage,” he said.
    The application signup is now open. Applications will be assessed, and even though some lands may be eligible for assistance, it is not guaranteed that all acres will receive financial assistance due to limited funding.
    Contact the NRCS office at  USDA Service Center for applications and more information.