East County News, 3/27/1996
Grays Harbor and Pacific counties have received two designations as natural disaster areas, according to Mike Mandere, county executive director for Farm Service Agency.
The first designation, M1079, is for damages and losses caused by severe storms, high :winds and flooding that occurred Nov. 7, 1995 through Dec. 18- 1995.
The second designation, M1100, is for flooding that occurred on Jan. 29, 1996 and continuing.
The Grays Harbor and Pacific County FSA Office is taking applications for the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) ECP is a conservation cost share program to help producers rehabilitate damaged farmland. To be eligible for ECP cost share funds, damage must be of such a catastrophic magnitude that damaged land can't be returned to productive agricultural use without Federal assistance. Land also cannot be located in an area that has been damaged by natural disaster more than three times in the last 25 years or is susceptible to frequent damage.
ECP cost shares with producers to remove debris from fields, rebuild destroyed fencing, reshape, relevel and grade washed fields and rebuild destroyed conservation practices. Cost share rates are 64 percent on the first $62,500, 40 percent on the second $62,500 and 20 percent on any final $125,000. The maximum payment limit is $200,000 per person per disaster.
To maintain maximum eligibility for ECP, damage should be reported and inspected before repairs are made. Also, taking photographs is always a good idea for documenting losses. At this time, the county does not have any ECP funds available, but more money may arrive soon.
In addition to the ECP cost share programs there is an emergency loan program for Southwestern Washington, with the FSA Ag Credit Team in Chehalis. Under this program, family farmers who suffered losses in the designated areas due to severe storms, high winds and flooding may qualify for EM loans with 3.75 percent interest and payment terms up to 40 years with real estate security. Loans based on losses to foundation , livestock or chattels can have up to 20-year terms.
To report damage under the ECP program, call the Grays Harbor & Pacific FSA office at (360) 249-5900. For information on emergency loans or application forms, call Jonathan Wilson, FSA ag credit manager, at (360) 748-9997. Applications for loans will be accepted for Designation M1079 (severe storms, high winds and flooding) through Oct. 39 1996, and for flooding under designation M1100 until Oct. 9, 1996.
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