USDA Releases Details on Cost-Share Assistance Program for Eligible South Dakota Farmers with Derecho Damaged On-Farm Grain Storage

South Dakota Corn Growers Association

4712 S Technopolis Dr

Sioux Falls, SD 57106

Phone 605.334.0100

Fax 605.334.0505

For Immediate Release

Contact: Margaret Pennock

Office: 605.334.0100

Cell: 605.409.0030

USDA RELEASES DETAILS ON COST-SHARE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR ELIGIBLE SOUTH DAKOTA FARMERS WITH DERECHO DAMAGED ON-FARM GRAIN STORAGE

Sioux Falls, SD March 9, 2023 – Today the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that eligible producers in South Dakota, Kentucky, Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, North Dakota, and Tennessee can apply for $20 million in cost-share assistance. According to the USDA, the Emergency Grain Storage Facility Assistance program (EGSFP) will assist eligible producers who were hard-hit by natural disaster events with cost-share assistance for grain storage capacity and drying and handling needs.

South Dakota Corn Growers Association (SDCGA) President Dave Ellens of Madison shares, “We are pleased to get confirmation that eligible growers are able to apply for cost-share assistance concerning permanent or temporary on-farm grain storage facilities and drying and handling equipment that were destroyed by a derecho on May 12, 2022 is now open for eligible South Dakota farmers to apply. Because funding requests for the EGSFP are subject to the availability of funding and will be funded in the order in which they are approved, it’s critical that eligible producers get their cost estimates as soon as possible.”

The USDA said funds will cover 75 or 90 percent of eligible expenses associated with building grain storage capacity or purchasing equipment.

The May 12, 2022 derecho swept across a large portion of South Dakota with wind speeds exceeding 100 mph and devastated many grain storage facilities that farmers use to store their corn, soybeans and wheat.

Ellens says, “As we’re getting ready to start planting this news is definitely a welcome announcement for affected farmers who were struggling with grain storage last year. This natural disaster caused an incredible strain for corn farmers who were already battling high input costs and a drought that reduced corn production by 10% from 2021 to 2022.”

Impact area maps in the three states are available on the USDA website. Farmers in portions of numerous South Dakota counties are eligible to apply for USDA funding if they had grain storage facilities that were affected from natural disasters from Dec. 1, 2021, to Aug. 1, 2022. The application period opens with the publication of the Notice in the Federal Register and closes December 29, 2023.