USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service is offering a special Environmental Quality Incentives Program sign-up for farmers in Governor-declared counties in Kansas who could not plant their crops because of flooded or wet fields.

As of the end of the June, 63 Kansas counties had been declared disaster areas due to either flooding or tornadoes.

This added NRCS sign-up provides technical and financial assistance to help farmers plant cover crops, an alternative to letting fields go fallow and uncovered. The deadline to apply is July 26.

Excessive moisture and flooding in 2019 have prevented or delayed planting on many farms across the country. Many producers are unable to plant crops by a final planting date or have experienced significant delays in planting.

Fields that are saturated for an extended period can lose important soil organisms. Cover crop roots add organic matter and create pathways for air and water to move through the soil, which is key to restoring its health.

“Cover crops help farmers to manage soil erosion, weeds and pests, and to improve soil health,” according to Karen Woodrich, NRCS State Conservationist in Kansas. “They can also help your soil health recover after a flood or a long period of remaining wet.”

To apply for this special EQIP funding, contact your local NRCS office. 

Farmers with prevented planting coverage through USDA-administered crop insurance can hay, graze or chop a cover crop. USDA’s Risk Management Agency adjusted the final haying and grazing date from Nov. 1 to Sept. 1 to help farmers who were prevented from planting or delayed in planting due to flooding and excessive rainfall.

USDA offers a disaster assistance discovery tool that walks producers through five questions to help them identify personalized results of what USDA disaster assistance programs meet their needs. For more information on disaster assistance programs, contact your local USDA service center or visit farmers.gov/prevented-planting.

Source: NRCS, which is solely responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and all its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.