Increasing Farm Bill Participation and Benefits

Upon completion of the new standardized CAP FM 106 forest management plan template, UK Forestry will provide training to KDF foresters on utilizing the new template, water quality degradation, soil quality degradation, forest health, air quality impacts, threatened and endangered species, as well as updates on invasive species. UK Forestry and KDF will review backlog cases and contact producers who have submitted applications to determine the most pressing resource concerns amongst the cases. Cases will be deemed to have either have a pressing resource concern or not based on feedback from applicants, property location in regards to Forest Priority Areas as designated in the State Forest Action Plan, and their proximity to water bodies or other sensitive areas. Those that meet the pressing resource concern category will be prioritized for service based on the date the application for assistance was received. Also, UK Forestry will survey the producers by evaluating and utilizing the EQIP national and state level ranking questions in their feedback with the applicants. KDF will assess and identify forester resources from across the state and redeploy them as needed to address the case backlog. KDF foresters will develop the plans submit them to UK Forestry where they will be checked to ensure they have been adequately completed before authorization of reimbursement for the work.