T-L Photo/GAGE VOTA Belmont County Soil and Water Conservation District Program Administrator Hannah Ulrich says that $900,000 in drought assistance will be distributed to farmers within Belmont County.

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — The Ohio Department of Agriculture recently accepted applications from farmers for state-funded drought relief due to extreme weather conditions throughout last spring and summer that significantly impacted Ohio’s agricultural producers.

Gov. Mike DeWine signed Senate Bill 54 into law in December, allocating state funding to provide relief to producers who faced challenging, persistent conditions. The legislation was spearheaded by state Rep. Don Jones, R-Freeport, former state representative Jay Edwards, and state Sen. Brian Chavez, R-Marietta.

Twenty-eight counties were eligible for the program with a combined $10 million being distributed through each county’s soil and water conservation districts.

Along with Belmont County, the other 27 counties receiving the assistance include Athens, Carroll, Fairfield, Fayette, Franklin, Gallia, Guernsey, Harrison, Highland, Hocking, Jackson, Jefferson, Lawrence, Licking, Madison, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Muskingum, Noble, Perry, Pickaway, Pike, Ross, Tuscarawas, Vinton and Washington.

The initiative was created in hopes of alleviating impacts of the recent drought on farmers, who have been dealing with depleted hay and water supplies. The drought created not only financial strain, but also mental health strain on farmers and their families.

Belmont County Soil and Water Conservation District Program Administrator Hannah Ulrich said $900,000 will be distributed within Belmont County.

“Belmont County got the second most amount of money throughout the program, through Representative Jones’ office’s efforts. We are going to be getting $900,000 to distribute to Belmont County residents that were affected by the drought,” Ulrich said. “None of that money will be retained by us. It’s all for the people, so if you signed up for the FSA (Farm Service Agency) money, you are automatically qualified for this money and we want you to have it.”

The window for farmers to sign up for the Farm Service Agency funding opened Feb. 15 and will close April 1.

Ulrich added that in Belmont County alone, 230 farmers qualified for the FSA funds but so far, though, only 100 Belmont County farmers have come to the Belmont County Soil and Water Conservation District’s office to collect their money.

She said that residents receiving the funds are required to fill out paperwork in person at the Soil and Water Conservation District’s office at 45422 Roscoe Road in St Clairsville.

The office hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday; however, to accommodate area farmers who are not able to visit during those hours, on March 17 the office will stay open until 7 p.m.

On Thursday evening, Jones said that farmers who qualify for the drought relief funding will receive 30%-35% of the money they received from the FSA Emergency Loan Program, which provided emergency loan assistance to farm operators. These loans can be used to meet various recovery needs including the replacement of essential items such as equipment or livestock, reorganization of a farming operation, or to refinance certain debts. For production losses, a 30% reduction is required to be eligible. Losses to quality may also be eligible for assistance. Producers can borrow up to 100 percent of actual production or physical losses to a maximum amount of $500,000.

“We really want this money to get into the hands of these producers. They have been affected greatly. The cost of hay is outrageous. They are having to truck in water,” Ulrich said. “As of last Wednesday, we are out of the drought, but we are still abnormally dry. So if you know anybody who received this money or could benefit from this money, please have them reach out to us because we want to get it in your hands.

This is going to be a quick process. As soon as we get the money from the state, I’m going to be writing checks, so stop in and see us.”

Belmont County Commissioner Jerry Echemann asked Ulrich if there were any stipulations on how the farmers could use the money. Ulrich responded that they are able to spend the funding on whatever they want or need. She added that it is technically a reimbursement for money that was spent on water and/or hay during the drought.

Commissioner Vince Gianangeli then asked what documentation farmers had to show when going to her office to receive the money. She replied that all the farmers need to do is give her their name and she will make sure it matches a name on her list. They also must answer a few questions regarding the application they originally filled out and present their W2 to her.

“Representative Jones wanted to make it as streamlined as possible, as simple as possible to get money in their hands as soon as possible,” she said.