The Farm Service Agency has been approved to begin taking applications, under the Emergency Forest Restoration Program, from private forestland owners in Bartow and Gordon Counties that suffered qualifying losses in the January 30 tornado that hit the Counties.

Due to this program not being considered an entitlement program you must have at least $2,000.00 in qualifying damage to be eligible.

Eligible land under this program must have been nonindustrial private forest (NIPF) and be owned by any nonindustrial private individual, group, association, corporation, or other private legal entity, that has definitive decision-making authority over the land. The land must have had existing tree cover or had tree cover immediately before the tornado occurred and is suitable for growing trees.

In addition, the natural disaster must have resulted in damage that if untreated would impair or endanger the natural resources on the land and materially affect future use of the land.

Signup will begin on February 18 and will end Friday, March 15. For further information interested producers can come by our office located at 717 South Wall Street in Calhoun or call us at 706-629-2582.