Iowa farmers will receive more than $2 million in total funding
By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com
The federal government is helping farmers who suffered losses and damage from a summer storm.
The USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service is providing more than $2 million to farmers in 26 counties affect by the derecho in August.
The storm traveled from South Dakota to Ohio in about 14 hours and flattened about 10 million acres of crops in Iowa, damaged barns and left thousands without power.
The storm had winds as high as 140 miles per hour and left an estimated 850,000 acres unharvested.
The NCRS is providing funding for 150 applications.
Scott County had 24 funding applications, which was the most in the state. Linn County had 16, and Benton and Tama Counties each had 12.
Of the received applications, 142 are for seeding cover crops to protect soil from erosion.
Six are to replace high tunnel systems, also referred to as hoop houses, which fruit and vegetable growers use to extend the growing season.
These structures are different than greenhouses because the crop is still planted in the ground.
And two applications are to replace roofs or covers on livestock waste storage facilities.
Farms.com has contacted Iowa farm groups for comment on the funding announcement.