Drought Resources & Assistance

Posted below are links and resources related to the drought. Please call our office with any questions you may have at 740-489-5276. 

Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District Water withdrawal from Reservoirs:

In conjunction with Guernsey SWCD & MWCD water can be withdrawn from Seneca Lake and Piedmont Reservoir for use of watering LIVESTOCK ONLY. There are 3 designated locations for water withdraw, the three designated areas are;

Belmont County- Reynolds Road Boat Ramp ( Piedmont Lake)

Guernsey County- ODNR Road Boat Ramp (Seneca Lake)

Noble County- State Route 147 (Seneca Lake) 

In order to withdraw water please contact the Guernsey Soil & Water office at 740-489-5276. 

ODA Hay Directory:

To find hay for sale-  https://agri.ohio.gov/divisions/administration/resources/ohio-hay-directory 

To advertise hay for sale- https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=xPz4UNiUB0-E6zbtV8fIouB-bRmNNLpAsDuamDPirpJUNjg3MDdFS1gxVVlTUDdGNVg0RFRZWFdUVy4u&route=shorturl

Programs currently available through the Farm Service Agency (FSA)

For Grazing Livestock:

 

•            Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) – provides compensation to eligible livestock producers who suffered grazing losses for covered livestock due to drought on privately owned or cash leased land

 

LFP provides compensation to eligible livestock producers who suffered grazing losses for covered livestock due to drought on privately owned or cash leased land or fire on federally managed land. For LFP, qualifying drought intensity levels are determined using the U.S. Drought Monitor. Currently we have Belmont, Monroe, Guernsey, Noble, Harrison, and Jefferson in District One are eligible to apply for 2023 LFP benefits for grazing losses on native pasture, improved pasture mixed forage, Visit the FSA LFP webpage for a full list of eligible counties and pasture types. FSA LFP webpage

Livestock eligible for LFP include alpacas, beef cattle, bison, buffalo, beefalo, dairy cattle, deer, elk, emus, equine, goats, llamas, ostriches, reindeer, or sheep that have been or would have been grazing the eligible grazing land or pastureland. Recently, FSA updated LFP policy to expand program eligibility to include additional income producing grazing animals, like horses and ostrich, that contribute to the commercial viability of an agricultural operation.

Livestock used for hunting and consumption by the owner and horses and other animals that are used or intended to be used for racing and wagering remain ineligible.

As a reminder, producers who want to participate in many USDA programs including disaster assistance programs like LFP, must file timely acreage reports by filling out the FSA-578 form to remain eligible for program benefits. Livestock producers interested in applying LFP should contact their local County FSA Office with any questions about the eligibility of specific livestock and forage crops.

•            Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program   (ELAP) - provides emergency relief for losses due to water shortages which are not adequately addressed by other disaster programs. For eligible livestock in qualifying counties, ELAP provides financial assistance for the transportation of water to livestock.

If you’ve incurred additional operating costs for transporting water to livestock due to an eligible drought, assistance may be available to you through the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP).An eligible drought means that part or all of your county is designated D3 (extreme drought) or higher as indicated by the U.S. Drought Monitor.

Eligible livestock must be adult or non-adult dairy cattle, beef cattle, buffalo and beefalo, as well as alpacas, deer, elk, emus, equine, goats, llamas, reindeer, or sheep. Additionally, the livestock must have been owned 60 calendar days prior to the beginning of the drought and be physically located in the county designated as a disaster area due to drought. The date of the drought for our counties is August 20, 2024, and 60 days prior would be June21,2024. Adequate livestock watering systems or facilities must have existed before the drought occurred and producers are only eligible if they do not normally transport water to the livestock.

Livestock that were or would have been in a feedlot are not eligible for transporting water. ELAP covers the additional cost of transporting water and does not cover the cost of the water itself.

You must file a notice of loss on form CCC-939 and submit an application for payment for 2024 ELAP assistance by the Jan. 30, 2024, deadline.

You’ll have to provide documentation to FSA that shows the method used to transport the water, the number of gallons of water transported and the number of eligible livestock to which water was transported.

 

For Orchards/Nursery Trees/Vineyards:

 

•            Tree Assistance Program (TAP) – provides assistance to eligible orchardists and nursery tree growers for qualifying tree, shrub and vine losses due to natural disasters including excessive wind and qualifying drought.

 

 Farm Service Agency Office Information:

 

Guernsey Noble phone number – 740-432-5621 this office is open Monday thru Friday

Belmont Monroe phone number 740-425-2300 ** please note this office is only open on Tuesday but the phone will take messages that go to the Guernsey office. The same staff work in Belmont Monroe and Guernsey Noble offices.

 

Harrison Jefferson phone number -740-937-2500 ** Please note this office is only open on Monday and Friday but the phone will take messages that go to the Tuscarawas office.

Tuscarawas Carroll phone number 330-339-5585 this office is open Monday thru Friday and will be able to assist producers from Harrison and Jefferson County. The same staff works in Harrison Jefferson and Tusc/Carroll.