Workshops to focus on drought assistance for Nevada ag producers

As every county in Nevada is experiencing severe to exceptional drought, the United States Department of Agriculture is offering several federal assistance programs for Nevada agricultural producers. University of Nevada Cooperative Extension will offer workshops statewide in June to provide discussion and information about these programs.

The workshops will touch on water conservation and emergency programs offered through the department’s Natural Resources Conservation Service; crop insurance, emergency loan and livestock feed programs through the department’s Farm Service Agency; and crop and livestock insurance production and cost insurance options for the 2016 agricultural year through the department’s Risk Management Agency.

Workshops will be at 9 a.m. June 1 in Room 108 of Smith Valley Library; at 1 p.m. June 1 at Lyon County Cooperative Extension in Yerington; at 1 p.m. June 2 at Churchill County Cooperative Extension in Fallon. Other events are planned in Elko, Winnemucca, Lovelock, Tonopah, Caliente.

Registration is $10 per person and includes handouts, information updates and snacks. Those attending are encouraged to preregister online at http://smithvalley.eventbrite.com for the Smith Valley event; http://yerington.eventbrite.com for the Yerington event; or http://fallon.eventbrite.com for the Fallon event. Registration is also available by contacting Jennifer Kintz at kintzj@unce.unr.edu or 775-945-3444, ext. 16.

Anyone who needs special accommodations or assistance is asked to call Staci Emm at 775-945-3444 at least three days prior to the workshop.

The workshops are part of Cooperative Extension’s Nevada Risk Management Education that helps farmers and ranchers across the state develop agricultural entrepreneurship, implement sustainable agricultural marketing strategies and improve profitability. The program is supported by the USDA’s Risk Management Agency and the USDA’s Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture. For more information about meeting challenges posed by drought, go to www.LivingWithDrought.com.