Agricultural Emergency Assistance Program

This program has been enacted three times since 1997 in response to devastating drought conditions in Montgomery County; it is not active currently.

The lack of normal rainfall during the 1990's created tremendous economic hardship on County farmers. The droughts of 1997 and 1999 will be recorded as some of the worst during the 21st Century. In an attempt to provide financial assistance to farmers, Montgomery County created the first County funded Drought Assistance Program in the nation.

In 1997, the County approved $500,000 which was distributed to 67 farmers covering over 26,254 acres. In 1999, $1.0 million was approved and these funds were distributed to 94 farmers covering over 36,590 acres.

2007 brought another drought, and losses projected to exceed $13 million. The County approved $1.5 million for distribution to impacted farmers. Producers who had both a current Nutrient Management Plan (if required) and a Soil Conservation Plan or District Cooperators Agreement on record were eligible for assistance based on the crop produced and acreage farmed.

For the 2007 program, $1.446 million dollars was distributed to 85 producers, covering 30,418 acres impacted by the drought.

The AgEAP program was administered by DED agricultural services (now the Office of Agriculture) and serves as an example of Montgomery County's commitment to preserve both farmland and the business of farming. Many farmers would not be in business today if the County Government had not created this critical program to help farmers in their time of need.