NRCS offers 2026 flood recovery aid to Washington state producers

SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. - The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)in Washington state has technical and financial assistance available to help producers recover from flooding

Agricultural, ranching, Tribal and forest operations in Benton, Chelan, Clallam, Cowlitz, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, King, Kittitas, Lewis, Mason, Pacific, Pierce, Skagit, Snohomish, Thurston, Wahkiakum, Whatcom, Yakima counties and all other Tribal nations within those listed counties have been significantly impacted by flooding this winter.

As producers move into recovery mode and assess damages, they should contact their local USDA Service Centerto report losses and learn more about program options available to assist in their recovery from crop, forestland, or shellfish and livestock losses and damages.

The NRCS offers programs to help producers with the flooding recovery process. The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)provides assistance to help recover from flooding related issues and resource protection. Benefits include preventing soil erosion, minimizing spread of noxious and invasive plants, protecting water quality, restoration of riparian areas, and livestock operations. Applications will be ranked according to the severity of the flooding, or property destroyed and the date of the application received. Completed EQIP applications will be accepted continuously by NRCS, and eligibility requirements need to be established with Farm Service Agency (FSA) to participate.

Due to the emergency nature, NRCS encourages operators and producers affected by flooding to document their affected areas by taking pictures of damage or losses to help expedite assistance and update their farm records with the FSA.

More Information

To learn more about NRCS programs, producers can contact their local USDA Service Center. Producers can also apply for NRCS programs, manage conservation plans and contracts, and view and print conservation maps by logging into their farmers.gov account. If you don't have an account, sign up today.

For 90 years, NRCS has helped farmers, ranchers and forestland owners make investments in their operations and local communities to improve the quality of our air, water, soil, and wildlife habitat. NRCS uses the latest science and technology to help keep working lands working, boost agricultural economies, and increase the competitiveness of American agriculture. NRCS provides one-on-one, personalized advice and financial assistance and works with producers to help them reach their goals through voluntary, incentive-based conservation programs. For more information, visit nrcs.usda.gov.