Emergency Drought Commission Meeting at ODAFF Building

TIMELINE

• On September 30, 2022, Emergency Drought Commissioners Blayne Arthur, Julie Cunningham and Trey Lam met and unanimously approved a program proposed by the Oklahoma Conservation Commission to distribute the $3 million appropriated by the State Legislature and approved by Governor Stitt in House Bill 2959 to Oklahoma ag producers. The program was then passed on to the Oklahoma Conservation Commission for final approval.
• On October 3, 2022, in their regular meeting, commissioners of the Oklahoma Conservation Commission unanimously approved the program, detailing how emergency drought funds will be made available to all 77 Oklahoma counties via a cost-share program and distributed by local Conservation Districts.
• On October 4, 2022, Governor Kevin Stitt approved $20 million in additional funds be appropriated to the Emergency Drought Commission as presented by the legislature in the special legislative session.
• On October 17, 2022, significant changes were made to the program by the Emergency Drought Commission in their third meeting, and an additional $5 million was added to the cost-share program. The changes include:
  • Making the Emergency Drought Cost-Share program available retroactively for pond clean out and new rural water tap projects started on or after June 11, 2022.
  • Allowing producers of all livestock used to financially support a family to apply.
  • Increasing maximum payments for pond clean outs to $2,500 for small sized ponds, $5,000 for medium sized ponds and $7,500 for large sized ponds.
  • Removing the requirement for drought condition certification for individual properties.

The remaining $15 million in funds appropriated to the Emergency Drought Commission will be allocated strategically as the commission continues to meet.

Program Details

Producers interested in applying are encouraged to contact their local conservation district for more information. Contact information for each district can be found here.

Size of program:  $103,000 allocated to each County (not District)– remainder reserved for areas with higher levels of request

Cost share rate: Maximum 80%

Maximum payment: Not to exceed $7,500

Projected Timeline of Program: Guidelines were approved in the Oct. 3, 2022 Conservation Commission meeting initiating the start of the program.

Conservation Districts receive program guidelines and training Oct. 3-4, 2022 and then will begin implementation. 

Allocation Period: Oct. 3 – Dec. 2, 2022

• Review/Rank Applications – Select Applicants – 60 days
• Establish Completion Deadline and Develop Extension Protocol

Implement Practices: Begins no later than Dec. 2, 2022. Program will be completed by Dec. 2, 2023.

Reallocate any remaining funds to Districts with highest demand no later than Dec. 12, 2022.

Read more about the program here.