The Kansas Department of Agriculture announced that the State Conservation Commission has approved the creation of the Kansas Wildfire Cost Share Initiative which will provide funding in the amount of $200,000 for specific recovery expenses following recent wildfires in Kansas. The commission approved the action in September to work with local Conservation Districts in supporting the recovery efforts.

Funds from the initiative are to be targeted at livestock water supplies, cross fencing, grass seeding, windbreaks and obstruction removal in the areas affected by the March 2017 Kansas wildfires as well as the Anderson Creek wildfire in 2016. Eligible areas for the initiative are in the following counties: Barber, Clark, Comanche, Ellis, Ellsworth, Ford, Hodgeman, Lane, Lincoln, McPherson, Meade, Ness, Reno, Rice, Rooks, Russell, Seward and Smith. Cost share assistance will be provided by the KDA Division of Conservation (DOC) through local county Conservation Districts.

Landowners in the eligible counties are urged to contact their local county Conservation District to apply for the Kansas Wildfire Cost Share Initiative. Applications can be submitted through Oct. 31, 2017. County Conservation District contact information can be found at agriculture.ks.gov/ConservationDistricts.

This cost-share assistance is one way KDA is supporting the recovery from the destruction caused by wildfires in recent years. KDA is committed to serving all Kansas farmers and ranchers and encouraging economic growth of the agriculture industry, which is the state’s largest economic driver, while protecting natural resources.

Questions regarding the Kansas Wildfire Cost Share Initiative may be directed to KDA DOC water quality program manager David Jones at David.Jones@ks.gov or 785-564-6623.