Farmers affected by the long-term impacts of this year’s drought may be eligible to receive state funding to help restore drought-damaged pastures, develop water sources and address other drought-related recovery expenses.

Farmers who have been approved for USDA-Farm Service Agency (FSA) Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) payments will be eligible for these state dollars.

The state’s 14 conservation districts will accept application information to help facilitate the funding process for the West Virginia Department of Agriculture (WVDA). This fall, the West Virginia Legislature allocated $10 million in surplus funds to create the WVDA’s Drought Recovery Program.

The signup period begins Monday, Dec. 9, and closes on Jan. 30, 2025. Applicants will need to follow some key requirements to apply for the drought recovery funding.

•             You must physically sign up in person at your local conservation district office.

•             You must have available a physical copy of the applicant’s USDA-Farm Service Agency 2024 Livestock Forage Disaster Program Estimated Calculated Payment Report, which must include both an application number and a total gross LFP payment.

•             You must have a completed W-9 form. A blank form will be available at the conservation district office. A new W-9 form must be completed or provided by the applicant, even if a past W-9 form is on file.

At the conservation district office, a third form will be made available to applicants and must be completed and signed. This is the “Sign Up, Release and Disclaimer Application” form.

It will be important to match the applicant’s name and application number on this form with the exact name and application number on the FSA document.

The WVDA will be making decisions on funding farmers’ applications after the signup period closes on Jan. 30.

Please call ahead to your local conservation district to make certain the office will be open on the day you’re planning to visit.

Here is contact and physical address information for the 14 conservation districts:

•             Kanawha County is within the Capitol Conservation District, which can be reached at: (304) 759-0736. The office's physical address is: 418 Goff Mountain Rd. Suite 102, Cross Lanes, WV 25313.

•             Berkeley, Jefferson and Morgan counties are in the Eastern Panhandle Conservation District, which can be reached at: (304) 263-4376. The office's physical address is: 151 Aikens Center, Suite 2, Martinsburg, WV 25404.  

•             Braxton, Clay, Nicholas and Webster counties are within the Elk Conservation District, which can be reached at: (304) 765-2535. The office's physical address is: 738 Airport Rd., Sutton, WV 26601.

•             Greenbrier, Monroe and Pocahontas counties are within the Greenbrier Valley Conservation District, which can be reached at: (304) 645-6173. The office's physical address is: 179 Northridge Drive, Lewisburg, WV 24901.

•             Boone, Cabell, Lincoln, Logan, Mingo and Wayne counties are within the Guyan Conservation District, which can be reached at: (304) 528-5718. The office's physical address is: 2631 5th Street Road, Huntington, WV 25701.

•             Calhoun, Ritchie, Roane, Wirt and Wood counties are within the Little Kanawha Conservation District, which can be reached at: (304) 422-9088. The office's physical address is: 91 Boyles Lane, Parkersburg, WV 26104.

•             Marion, Monongalia and Preston counties are within the Monongahela Conservation District, which can be reached at: (304) 296-0081. The office's physical address is: 201 Scott Avenue, Morgantown, WV 26508.

•             Brooke, Hancock, Marshall and Ohio counties are within the Northern Panhandle Conservation District, which can be reached at: (304) 238-1231. The office's physical address is: 1 Ballpark Drive, McMechen, WV 26040.

•             Grant, Hampshire, Hardy, Mineral and Pendleton counties are in the Potomac Valley Conservation District, which can be reached at: (304) 822-5174. The office's physical address is: 500 East Main Street, Romney, WV 26757.

•             Fayette, McDowell, Mercer, Raleigh, Summers and Wyoming counties are in the Southern Conservation District, which can be reached at: (304) 253-0261. The office's physical address is: 463 Ragland Road, Beckley, WV 25801.

•             Barbour, Randolph, Taylor, Tucker and Upshur counties are in the Tygarts Valley Conservation District, which can be reached at: (304) 457-3026. The office's physical address is: 16346 Barbour County Highway, Philippi, WV 26416.

•             Pleasants, Wetzel and Tyler counties are within the Upper Ohio Conservation District, which can be reached at: (304) 758-2512. The office's physical address is: 201 Underwood Street, Middlebourne, WV 26149. 

•             Doddridge, Gilmer, Harrison and Lewis counties are within the West Fork Conservation District, which can be reached at: (304) 627-2160. The office's physical address is: 87 Ollie Lane Suite 102, Mt. Clare, WV 26408.

•             Jackson, Mason and Putnam counties are in the Western Conservation District, which can be reached at: (304) 675-3054. The office's physical address is: 1204 Viand Street, Point Pleasant, WV 25550.