During the Drought Commission Emergency Meeting today, Farm Director KC Sheperd got to talk with Oklahoma Conservation Commissioner Trey Lam to talk about the drought relief programs available.
The meeting was led by Lam, Pete Nichols of Washita County, Secretary of Agriculture Blayne Arthur, Josh Emerson of McIntosh County, and Julie Cunningham, Executive Director of the Oklahoma Water Resources Board.
The Water Well Resources program was slated to end this past June but has been extended until December 31st due to a shortage in water well drillers. Once the program ends, the $4 million that remains unused in the program will become available for other programs.
“When we cut it off in June, there were still people who hadn’t gotten their ponds cleaned out, so at that time we made the decision to prioritize their needs,” Lam said. “We will be contacting them to see if they still need the work done, did it themselves and need to be reimbursed, or want to cancel.”
Once those people have been taken care of, applications for the new program will open on November 12. The new program will utilize all of the money that legislation has appropriated and will total around $27 million. A little more than $350,000 will be appropriated to each drought-stricken county. People can apply in person at their local Conservation District office, online, or by mail, and applications will be reviewed, approved, and served on a first-come first-served basis.
Within the next few days, local Conservation districts will have the details of the Emergency Drought Commission meeting and be ready to answer questions about the guidelines, dollar amounts, etc.
The Conservation Commission program helps with pond cleanouts, water well installations, pumping unit purchases, laying pipelines, pasture taps (if rural water allows), and tank purchases. It pays 80% of the expense with a $7,500 cap per person, and the producer is responsible for the remaining 20%.
During the drought that spanned 2011 – 2015, revenue was at a low and the drought had nearly ended before enough funds could be raised to create even a small drought relief program, so Lam is asking for permanent funding of the program.
“This time,” Lam said. “The Legislature was very proactive. They addressed the ongoing drought that we had but anticipated this next drought. Still, if you don’t know whether or not there will be funding for the next drought or not, it is hard for producers, conservation agencies, and this committee. If we can make this permanent, we could take applications continually. Then, when we went to a D1 drought situation, the committee could meet, declare that drought, and immediately take action. It gives some certainty to producers that there will always be some relief there.”
He encouraged producers to share their needs with elected officials, and state agencies. “If water and water resources are your big concerns and every time one of these droughts comes around, you have to liquidate your cattle, let them know that so they can start planning, budgeting, and looking at all of the other priorities. From healthcare to roads and bridges, everything is a priority, but they need to know that this is a priority as well. Rather than trying to just face a crisis when we come to it, let’s be prepared.”
