Agricultural Drought Relief Program

Agricultural Drought Relief Program

The Henderson County Soil & Water Conservation District is currently accepting applications for the N.C. Agricultural Drought Recovery Program. This program was made possible through a $6 million grant from the N.C. Tobacco Trust Fund Commission.

This funding can be used for the installation of 4 best management practices:
1. Renovation of pastures killed or damaged by the drought. (Hayland is not eligible). Participating farmers must agree to manage fertility, stocking rates, and start /stop grazing heights to minimize the potential for overgrazing and to ensure that a good stand is maintained.
2. Drilling wells for farmers whose existing water supplies for livestock watering or irrigation either went dry or was inadequate to meet existing water supply needs. (Spray ponds are currently not eligible)
3. Renovating existing ponds and constructing new ponds for farmers whose existing water supplies for livestock watering or irrigation either went dry or were inadequate to meet existing water supply needs. (Spray ponds currently are not eligible)
4. Retrofitting existing irrigation systems to Conservation Irrigation and Micro Irrigation. These practices are intended to:
-convert center-pivot and lateral move irrigation systems to employ drop nozzles or low-pressure spray nozzles. This practice can also be used to convert an existing traveling gun system to a center-pivot or lateral move system using drop nozzles or low-pressure spray. The practice can also be used to equip existing irrigation equipment with end-gun shutoff devices.
-And to replace and/or reduce the use of other types of irrigation and fertilization such as the traveling gun, center-pivot and furrow irrigation systems unless agronomic necessity (e.g., frost/freeze protection, soil settling) suggest alternate or temporary methods of irrigation.
A 10-year maintenance agreement is required for each practice in order to receive funding through this program. If you have any questions, feel free to call Jonathan Wallin or Laurie Brokaw the Henderson County Soil & Water Conservation District at 697-4949.

Please note that these funds are available in Henderson County only. If you live or have a farm in another county you should contact your Soil and Water District to see what they may have available. Different counties have different funds for distribution.

For more information contact your local Cooperative Extension Center and ask for the Commercial Horticulture Agent.