Wyoming -
Agricultural Management Assistance Program (AMA)
General Program Description
The Agricultural Management Assistance (AMA) provides financial assistance to
agricultural producers to voluntarily address resource issues such as water
management, water quality, invasive species control, and erosion control by
incorporating conservation into their farming or ranching operations.
AMA was authorized in the Agriculture Risk Protection Act of 2000. The
purpose of AMA is to assist producers in reducing risk to their operation. The
program is available in Wyoming and 15 other states where participation in the
Federal Crop Insurance Program is historically low.
AMA is administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).
Producers can apply for cost sharing for many types of conservation practices.
All signups are conducted at
USDA Service Centers in Wyoming.
Priorities:
Program priorities are based on recommendations from the Wyoming State
Technical Committee. The State Technical Committee (STC) is made up of
representatives from various producer groups, conservation organizations,
agribusinesses, and federal, state, and tribal government agencies. Each year,
consideration is given to determine which resource concerns pose the greatest
risk to Wyoming agricultural operations.
The current priority of the STC is the removal of Russian olive and salt
cedar along riparian areas in the Big Horn Basin. The NRCS field offices in
Greybull, Lander, Thermopolis and Worland have been very proactive in using AMA
funds to effect watershed-scale changes. Some of the watersheds receiving
treatment to remove these invasive species include: Cottonwood Creek,
Gooseberry Creek, the Nowood River, and Shell Creek.
The treatment is typically a combination of mechanical removal and a
follow-up chemical application to the remaining vegetation. It is also very
important for landowners to assess needed management changes and perform
subsequent-year maintenance.
Enrollment Options:
Agricultural producers are eligible to apply for AMA on private lands.
Contracts can be written for 1-10 years, with a minimum duration of one year after
the last practice is completed. Annual payments cannot exceed $50,000 per
person or entity per year and are based on 75% of a state average cost.
Ranking Criteria:
Applications will be evaluated and selected based on state ranking criteria.
Eligibility:
Under the 2008 Farm Bill, Adjusted Gross Income provisions now apply to the
AMA program. Refer to
7 CFR Part 1400 for additional information. Eligible land includes: 1)
Privately owned land; 2) Publicly owned land where the land is a working
component of the participant’s agricultural operation, and the participant has
control of the land for the term of the contract; and 3) Tribal, BIA allotted,
or Indian land.
To Apply:
Application signup is an ongoing process and can be done online or
completed at your
local USDA Service Center.
For More Information:
Additional program information and fact sheets are available on the National
AMA Home Page.
State Contact for Program Information:
Jenny Castagno, Area Programs Specialist, (307) 856-7524, Ext. 120
State Contact for Technical Information:
Rory Karhu, District Conservationist, Worland Field Office, (307) 347-2456,
Ext. 106
Last Modified:
11/16/2009
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