Wednesday, March 9 | 10:00am-12:00pm
Fires, drought, and winter storms can deliver a crushing blow to a small-scale farm or ranch. The USDA has a variety of programs to help farmers cover their losses, but what does it take to access these? Many farmers are ‘leaving money on the table’ because they are not aware of programs that can help them, or the application process seems too difficult or confusing. This short course will give farmers and ranchers the “ins and outs” of 4 key USDA programs that you may qualify for today, or may want to access in the future. The programs we’ll discuss include: a) Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey, Bees, and Farm-raised Fish (ELAP); b) Emergency Conservation Program (ECP): and c) Livestock Forage Program (LFP). The workshop will include 3 parts: panelist presentations; questions and answers; and then a 90-minute ‘clinic’ with one-on-one support for individuals preparing applications. Panelists will include a USDA representative and a farmer who has accessed USDA resources for emergency help. Spanish translation is available.