USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is now accepting drought assistance applications from farmers and ranchers impacted by ongoing drought conditions in 128 of Texas’ 254 counties.

NRCS in Texas is making funding available through the agency’s Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) for qualified agricultural producers to assist in conservation practices that help to sustain the lands natural resources during drought or assist during recovery.

“Farmers and ranchers in Texas are no stranger to drought which is once again slowly creeping across the state,” said Salvador Salinas, NRCS state conservationist. “Across the entire state drought conditions range from abnormally dry to pockets of extreme drought. In an effort to assist landowners during these difficult conditions, we are offering additional funding opportunities through EQIP. I encourage producers in impacted counties to reach out to their local NRCS field office.”

The sign up deadline for agricultural producers in the 128 counties is August 30, 2018. Funding decisions will be made by September 6, 2018.

Eligible counties are: Archer, Armstrong, Bailey, Bandera, Baylor, Bell, Blanco, Borden, Bosque, Bowie, Briscoe, Brown, Carson, Cass, Castro, Childress, Cochran, Coleman, Collin, Collingsworth, Comanche, Concho, Cooke, Coryell, Cottle, Dallas, Dawson, Deaf, Delta, Denton, Dickens, Dimmit, Donley, Eastland, Edwards, Ellis, Erath, Falls, Floyd, Foard, Franklin, Gaines, Garza, Gillespie, Glasscock, Gray, Gregg, Hale, Hall, Hamilton, Hardeman, Harrison, Hemphill, Hill, Hockley, Hood, Hopkins, Howard, Jack, Johnson, Kendall, Kent, Kerr, Kimble, King, Kinney, Knox, Lamar, Lamb, Lampasas, LaSalle, Leon, Limestone, Lipscomb, Llano, Lubbock, Lynn, McCulloch, McLennan, Marion, Martin, Mason, Maverick, Menard, Midland, Mills, Mitchell, Montague, Morris Motley, Oldham, Palo Pinto, Panola, Parker, Parmer Potter, Randall, Real, Red River, Robertson, Runnels, Rusk, San Saba, Schleicher, Scurry, Somervell, Stephens, Sterling, Sutton, Swisher, Tarrant, Terrell, Terry, Titus, Tom Green, Upshur, Uvalde, Val Verde, Webb, Wheeler, Wichita, Wilbarger, Wise, Yoakum, Zapata and Zavala.

To learn more about NRCS and available financial and technical assistance visit www.tx.nrcs.usda.gov or visit your local USDA Service Center.

Source: USDA NRCS