According to the Kansas Livestock Association, the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s Division of Conservation has made available cost-share funds to assist producers affected by the recent wildfires in Kansas. Those included in this initiative are the Ranger Road, Stevens, Tennis, Andrew Lane and Rawlins County wildfires.

KDA–DOC will provide a total of $151,000 in financial assistance to eligible producers in Barber, Clark, Comanche, Finney, Meade, Rawlins, Seward and Stevens counties for cover crops, temporary watering facilities and temporary electric fence. Individual producers can receive up to $5,000 in cost-share funding through this initiative.

The signup period for these cost-share funds is now open and will end April 3. Applications must be submitted through local conservation districts. Contact information for each district can be found here. Eligible applications will be approved on a first-come, first-served basis until all funds have been allocated.

Projects that have been started but not completed prior to application submission will be eligible for cost-share assistance, provided receipts are kept and KDA–DOC specifications (if necessary) are followed. Project eligibility does not guarantee approval by KDA–DOC.

For questions about the Kansas Wildfire Cost Share Initiative, contact Dave Jones at [email protected] or (785) 564-6623, or Madison Loder at [email protected] or (785) 477-2788.