Farmers and ranchers affected by the drought may be eligible for assistance through a federal disaster program. The Emergency Conservation Program helps orchardists and ranchers who have such severe damage that their trees or livestock will not survive without additional water.
The program provides different types of cost-sharing for measures such as pipeline installation or digging deeper wells, with a maximum of $200,000.
Help is also available for orchardists to replace trees and vines damaged by drought, going back to 2011.
Okanogan County has qualified for several Farm Service Agency (FSA) programs that aid with drought, wildfire, haying and grazing and livestock feed.
For more information or to apply, contact Stuart Skidmore, the acting executive director for the FSA in Okanogan County, at (509) 422-2750, ext. 2, or Stuart.skidmore@wa.usda.gov.
Other help may be available for commercial ranchers who lost livestock to wildfire this year. Contact Chris Bieker with the FSA at (509) 323-3014, or Chris.bieker@wa.usda.gov.
Information is available online at www.fsa.usda.gov/wa. The deadline for applications for the drought program is Dec. 30.
