Low water levels at area lakes
Charla Daly, County Executive Director of the Coffee/Grundy County Farm Service Agency, announces that due to the extreme drought situation that has been ongoing since April 10, 2012, Coffee and Grundy County FSA has been authorized to implement the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP). Coffee/Grundy County’s ECP signup period will begin August 13 at 8:00 am and will continue through 4:30 p.m. on September 12, 2012. This program will provide a maximum of 50% cost share for permanent practices and 75% cost share for temporary practices (not to exceed actual documented costs) if funding becomes available. Applicants must incur at least $1,000 in cost before cost-share can be approved. Eligible expenses for cost-share under this program include: installing pipelines to another water source, water storage facilities, including above ground tanks and troughs, constructing or deepening wells, permanently installed submersible pumps of adequate size to address livestock water needs, solar panels to provide pump power, contractor costs for hauling water to livestock, portable or permanent holding/storage tanks, truck rental for delivering water to livestock, personal or hired labor for delivering livestock water, and pipelines for livestock watering facilities. All expenses must be documented and must be limited to direct costs incurred as a result of the drought and beyond the normal operation of the farm. Livestock producers who wish to apply for USDA cost-share assistance should immediately visit the Coffee/Grundy County Farm Service Agency office to file an application. Daly reminds all applicants that, although his office is accepting the requests, this does not imply that cost share assistance will be made available. If funds become available, the applications processed will receive funding if all eligibility requirements are met. Applications received after 4:30 p.m. on September 12, 2012 will not be approved.
