In the wake of the Mountain Fire in Ventura County, we wanted to ensure that the area’s growers have the resources to deal with the impacts and loss. While the fire has only affected a small portion of the industry, those impacted have suffered devastating losses. Please know that the CCM team is here to help in any way we can.
First Steps/Recommendations for those with damage to crop and/or property:
- Open an insurance claim, talk with your adjuster, and document as much damage as possible.
- Wait until the fire is done and the destruction is evaluated to clean up the damage.
- Make sure your insurance agent and adjuster see the damage.
- Document as much as possible. Documentation can include maps, photos, videos, estimated number of damaged trees, timelines, etc.
- Talk with your accountants as well, as the fire tax code is complicated and detailed.
Ventura County Farm Bureau Mountain Fire Ag Recovery Webinar Series:
Ag Recovery Resources Webinar:
- Monday, November 18, 2024, 10 a.m.
- Log In: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85690644273?pwd=mpQz5IYEai04Ue7gmmGTZ0dGFkqhlp.1
- Webinar ID: 856 9064 4273
- Passcode: AGSTRONG
- Tentative Agenda:
- Ag Commissioner Update and Reporting Damages
- USDA- Farm Service Agency
- Ventura County Resource Conservation District
- Q&A
Ag Community Check-In Webinar:
- Friday, December 6, 2024, 10 a.m.
- Log In: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85690644273?pwd=mpQz5IYEai04Ue7gmmGTZ0dGFkqhlp.1
- Webinar ID: 856 9064 4273
- Passcode: AGSTRONG
- Agenda to be determined.
Farm Service Agency (FSA) and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Grants:
- 2024 Tree Assistance Program – Report your tree/bush/vine losses within 90 Days of the disaster or disease. TAP assists eligible orchardists and nursery tree growers in qualifying tree, shrub, and vine losses due to natural disasters, including fire.
- 2024 Non-Insured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) – Provides financial assistance to producers of non-insurable crops when low yields, loss of inventory, or prevented planting occur due to natural disasters.
- 2024 Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP)- An owner or contract grower must file a notice of loss within 30 calendar days of when the loss of livestock is first apparent. LIP offers payments to eligible producers for livestock death losses over normal mortality due to adverse weather.
- Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP) – Provides emergency relief for losses due to feed or water shortages, disease, adverse weather, or other conditions not adequately addressed by other disaster programs. Notice of Loss and application deadline is Jan 30, after the program year in which the loss occurred.
- Emergency Loan Program – Available to producers with agriculture operations located in a county under a primary or contiguous Presidential or Secretarial disaster designation. These low-interest loans help producers recover from production and physical losses.
Link to Submit Damage:
Please fill out the form linked below if you have crop or property damage. The County will use this information to evaluate and compile a damage assessment report to qualify Ventura County for federal assistance.
CCM GSI Map Fire Perimeters Layer:
We recently updated our GSI map on the CCM website with a fire layer. The map is updated as Cal Fire updates its fire boundary map. Use the fire and citrus layers tab in the upper right-hand corner to see the vicinity of citrus operation to the fire boundary. VIEW GSI MAP.
If you have questions about the information above, please contact our Director of Grower Services, Michael Bliss, at michael@cacitrusmutual or 559-592-3790.
Articles are property of California Citrus Mutual (CCM), please seek permission for use.
