The Harney County Soil and Water Conservation District (HCSWCD) is taking action to support farmers and ranchers impacted by the devastating wildfires in Harney County. With an uncountable number of livestock displaced or lost, and vital sage grouse habitat destroyed, the HCSWCD is working to protect and rehabilitate the region’s soil quality, water resources, and natural habitat.

HCSWCD District Manager, Jason Kesling, is advocating for funding from U.S Fish & Wildlife Service to help with rehabilitation to recover sage grouse habitat. He has also reached out to the Governors Natural Resources to request that Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) release funding for rehabilitation this fall for private landowners around reseeding, fence maintenance, and water developments.

Additionally, HCSWCD has created a post-fire public resource document (detailed below), outlining available financial assistance programs to help producers recover from non-insurable crop losses, livestock deaths, damaged land, and water and feed shortages.

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Post-fire resources – Harney County

For immediate assistance associated with livestock and forage losses contact Harney/Grant County

USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) at (541) 575-1274 x 2. Available programs:

• Non-Insured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) – provides financial assistance to producers of non-insurable crops when low yields, loss of inventory, or prevented planting occur due to natural disasters including excessive wind and qualifying drought (includes native grass for grazing).

• Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) – offers payments to eligible producers for livestock death losses in excess of normal mortality due to adverse weather.

• Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP) – provides emergency relief for losses due to feed or water shortages, disease, adverse weather, or other conditions, which are not adequately addressed by other disaster programs.

• Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) – provides emergency funding for farmers and ranchers to rehabilitate land severely damaged by natural disasters; includes fence loss.

For more information on FSA programs, contact Emma Gabriel, County Executive Director emma.gabriel@usda.gov.

Harney Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) may have funding available to landowners for emergency water development and repair, fencing, and seeding. Call SWCD at (541) 573-6446 or email Jason Kesling, SWCD District Manager at kesling@harneyswcd.net.

For assistance with weed treatments following fire, call Harney County Cooperative Weed Management Area (CWMA) at (541) 891-0898 or email Tyler Goss, CWMA Coordinator at goss@harneyswcd.net.

For longer term management needs, call Harney SWCD (contact above) and/or Harney Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) to help SWCD/NRCS identify program needs and allocate future funding. Call NRCS at (541) 573-6446 or email Rachel Beaubien, NRCS District Conservationist at rachel.beaubien@usda.gov.

For technical expertise regarding livestock, post-fire rehabilitation, and land management, call Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center at (541) 573-8900 or contact:

• Dr. Juliana Ranches – livestock health and smoke exposure (juliana.ranches@oregonstate.edu)

• Dr. Chad Boyd, Dustin Johnson, Dr. Katie Wollstein – post-fire rehabilitation, grazing management (chad.boyd@oregonstate.edu, dustin.johnson@oregonstate.edu, katherine.wollstein@oregonstate.edu)

• Dr. Katie Wollstein – wildfire preparedness and response (katherine.wollstein@oregonstate.edu)

Ranching and agriculture can be stressful, especially after events like wildfires. Oregon’s Agri-stress Hotline offers confidential support and resources to help you cope with stress and mental health challenges. Call or text the hotline (833) 897-2474, or contact Christine Stokely, Family Community Health Program Coordinator with OSU Extension Service – Harney County at (417) 838-4236 at christine.stokely@oregonstate.edu.