North Carolina producers may be able to cover 75% of the cost of restoring pastureland damaged by drought during the past year through a state cost-share drought recovery program.

Farmers may apply to state soil and water conservation district offices for assistance. The program also covers costs associated with drilling and redrilling wells, pond construction and renovation, converting closed lagoons to fresh-water ponds and upgrading existing irrigation systems to more-efficient models. It’s open to farmers with land affected by drought who have total adjusted gross incomes of less than $250,000 or who derive 75% of their income from farming operations. Learn more at www.ncruralcenter.org/ag/drought_project_fact_sheet.pdf.