BUCKHANNON – An upcoming meeting will teach local gardeners and farmers about the plethora of programs they can use to cope with the ongoing drought.
Ronnie Hemondollar, WVU Extension Agriculture and Natural Resources Director. and Donnie Tenney, Supervisor of Tygart Valley Conservation District, attended the Oct. 3 Upshur County Commission meeting to discuss the drought and how people may sign up to aid people affected by the drought.
The two also highlighted an upcoming meeting that will provide resources for anyone affected by the drought conditions.
“Just know [that even though] we’ve been getting some rain — we’ve had rain about every day of some type in the last week — we’re not out of the drought,” Hemondollar said. “The river is up a little bit, but ponds and springs and those types of things still aren’t running, so we still have a long way to go to recover from the drought.”
He said most of these programs are a joint effort by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and state and local agencies.
“The USDA Farm Service Agency has been the lead agency in terms of being able to assist producers financially,” Hemondollar said. “Currently and moving forward, they have four programs that are available to producers and sign-ups are continuing with all four of those programs.”
Hemondollar said there is a meeting taking place at 6 p.m. Oct. 15 at the Outpost and Event Center on Brushy Fork Road to explain all the programs and answer questions.
“All agencies will be there: the USDA’s Farm Service Agency and Natural Resource Conservation Service, the Department of Agriculture, and WVU Extension will be there to visit with producers and share what’s available,” Hemondollar said. “They’ll explain what people can sign up for and participate in and encourage them to reach out to the FSA.”
The local FSA is in Weston, and Hemondollar said anyone with livestock on a pasture should reach out t to enroll in their Livestock Forage Disaster Program. According to a letter distributed by Hemondollar, the program provides a financial payment to livestock producers with grazing livestock. The program fact sheet provides additional information on eligibility and how payments are calculated. The FSA office can be reached by calling 304-269-8431.
Tenney said the Tygart Valley Conservation District had received funds to distribute to their cooperators due to an exigency plan set up a few years ago to prepare for a drought.
“They gave each conservation district $10,000, and the program we offer is a 50 percent cost share; you can get up to $500 back to spend on temporary fencing to extend areas to graze your cattle. There’s a reseeding, and there is a revegetation cost-share program that pays for seed,” Tenney said. “Those two are slated to end on Oct. 15, but the Legislature has assured us there’s going to be more money, so it will be extended for those that need help.”
The conservation district’s most popular program involves hauling water for cattle.
“A lot of people’s streams have dried up, the ponds and springs have gotten too low, so they have to haul water,” Tenney said. “The program pays for tanks, pumps, hoses and all that stuff. they added irrigation for crops for folks that have high tunnels or have field crops.”
To participate in these programs, a person must join the Tygart Valley Conservation District, which can be done by calling the Conservation District at 304-457-3026.
In addition, according to the Upshur County website, Gov. Jim Justice launched an Emergency Drought Relief Reimbursement Grant Program on Aug. 9, 2024. More information is available here.
