Owners of timberlands damaged by Hurricane Michael in Bay, Calhoun, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Hamilton, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Okaloosa, Suwannee, Taylor, Wakulla, Walton, and/or Washington counties can now apply for funding to help off-set the value of lost timber. The funds are available through the Florida Timber Recovery Block Grant Program. The program provides loss coverage for damaged timber tracks of at least 10 acres to a maximum of 2,500 acres.
Florida Timber Recovery Block Grant Program (“TRBG”) is available to timber producers who suffered timber damage as a result of Hurricane Michael. Compensation for hurricane related crop loss is provided to producers that meet eligibility requirements. The program is managed by the Florida Division of Emergency Management in conjunction with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the US Department of Agriculture. From:
https://floridadisaster.org/dem/recovery/florida-agribusiness-recovery/timber/
Registration
Registration for the program is completed via an electronic form. You can access the form online at the website listed above. After completing the registration form (online) you will be contacted via phone, within 5 business days, by an Account Manager. Your Account Manager will guide you through the remainder of the application process.
Having the following information available will be helpful/necessary during your completion of the TRBG application. While not necessary to complete the initial registration form, please have the information available when your Account Manager contacts you.
1) Federal Tax ID # if applying with a business entity, Social Security # if applying as an individual
2) Contact information of authorized agent/point of contact of business entity if applying on behalf of a business or individual owner
3) County Name(s) AND Parcel identification numbers of ALL parcels that have timber stands you are applying for. It is important to have this list ready to expedite the process of the site inspection. If you need help identifying your parcel ID #s, work with your account manager on your intake phone call to verify.
4) Insurance Payment: Did you file/receive an insurance payment or federal financial assistance for damage to your timber crop as a result of Hurricane Michael? If yes, have those documents ready to review. If no, then disregard this question.
5) The next few items may or may not be used in the process of reviewing your application, but please have them ready if you have these documents:
a. Land management plan and associated farm/stand maps
b. Timber planting records
c. Third party loss certification(s) from damage incurred from Hurricane Michael
d. Site photos, aerial photography, or satellite imagery of your timber stands
e. If you currently operate the timber stand with a lease, please have the lease ready for your call to review
f. If your ownership situation requires a Power of Attorney (POA), please have a copy ready to review
g. If you share ownership of the land/timber stand, please have documentation that outlines what % ownership each partner has
Payment Calculation
Timber stands with less than 25% damage are not eligible for TRBG payments. Timber stands with damage greater than 25% but less than 35% will be paid based on a 25% payment factor. Timber stands with 35% or loss or greater will be paid based on a 50% payment factor.
35% Timber Loss Payment = (Assigned Volume x Assigned Value x Damaged Stand Acreage) x 50% Payment Factor
25% Timber Loss Payment = (Assigned Volume x Assigned Value x Damaged Stand Acreage) x 25% Payment Factor
The TRBG program is covered in greater detail on the Division of Emergency Management’s webpage
FloridaDisaster.org. Please visit the website for more details ownership requirements, reforestation requirements, federal support and the topics addressed above.
If you have questions about the Timber Recover Block Grant, please contact Daniel Leonard at the UF/IFAS Calhoun County Extension office or Marie Arick at the Liberty County Office!
*This article is reprinted courtesy of Mark Mauldin, Agriculture Agent at UF/IFAS Washington County Extension.
