POST FIRE RECOVERY FEDERAL HELP FOR CALIFORNIA RANCHERS AFFECTED BY THE WILDFIRES by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Small Business Administration (SBA)
Editor’s Note: This article was provided to the California Cattleman as part of a CCA virtual workshop, “Post-Fire Relief and Recovery Programs for Ranchers,” held November 13. The workshop featured speakers from the Farm Service Agency (FSA) and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), as well as the information detailed below from FEMA and SBA. California ranchers and other individuals who have suffered property and personal losses from 2020 wildfires may be eligible for assistance from several federal agencies, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).
THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (USDA)
USDA has partnered with FEMA and other disasterrecovery organizations to create the Disaster Resource Center (https://www.usda.gov/topics/disaster). This central source of information identifies resources to help farmers and ranchers find USDA disaster information and assistance. USDA also developed a disaster assistance discovery tool (https://www.farmers.gov/recover/disastertool) specifically targeted to farmers and ranchers, and addressing rural and agricultural issues. The tool walks producers through five questions that generate personalized results identifying which USDA disaster assistance programs can help them recover from a natural disaster.
FEMA ASSISTANCE FOR INDIVIDUALS
To be eligible, ranchers applying for FEMA assistance must have their primary residence in a county designated under one of the two recent California presidential disaster declarations. A primary home is where the applicant normally lives during the major portion of the year, or a home that is required because of its proximity to employment, including agricultural activities that provide 50 percent of the household’s income.
THE 2020 CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES RECEIVED TWO MAJOR DECLARATIONS:
• DR-4558-CA covers Aug. 14-Sept. 26 wildfire losses in 13 counties: Butte, Lake, Lassen, Monterey, Napa, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano, Sonoma, Trinity, Tulare and Yolo.
22 California Cattleman December 2020
• DR-4569-CA covers wildfire losses that occurred Sept. 4 or after in 10 counties: Fresno, Los Angeles, Madera, Mendocino, Napa, San Bernardino, San Diego, Shasta, Siskiyou and Sonoma. Information on each disaster is available online at www. fema.gov/disaster/4558 and www.fema.gov/disaster/4569. FEMA’s online brochure, Help After a Disaster, explains the assistance that may help survivors in their recovery efforts. Many survivors who apply for assistance with FEMA will be referred to the SBA, which offers eligible wildfire survivors affordable financial help in the form of lowinterest, long-term disaster loans. These loans are available to businesses of all sizes, private nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters. Next to insurance, an SBA loan is the primary source of funds for property repairs and for replacing contents destroyed during wildfires.
HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE
If you have a homeowners insurance policy, the first step in recovery is to file your insurance claim immediately before applying for disaster assistance. Get the process started quickly. The faster you file, the faster your recovery can begin.
FEMA’S INDIVIDUALS AND HOUSEHOLDS PROGRAM ASSISTANCE (IHP)
U.S. citizens, non-citizen nationals and qualified aliens may be eligible for Individuals and Households Program’s two avenues of aid: Housing Assistance and Other Needs Assistance. FEMA’s IHP Assistance provides financial help and direct services to eligible individuals and households who have uninsured or underinsured necessary expenses and serious needs. IHP Assistance is not a substitute for insurance and cannot compensate for all losses caused by a disaster; it is intended to meet basic needs and supplement disaster recovery efforts. IHP Assistance is not considered income or as a resource when determining eligibility for welfare, income assistance or income-test benefit programs that the federal government funds, such as Social Security or disability income.
