Crop Disaster Recovery (CDR) is a National USDA Consulting Firm. CDR was established by Kim and David Lott in late 2020. In addition to their agriculture experience, Kim is an accountant and David has a background in law.
 
CDR’s services revolve around the various types of funding available to Producers through the USDA and its subagencies. Kim and David will discuss where funds originate from, where Producers need to look, how to navigate the process, potential pitfalls, and currently available grants and programs. Specific programs will include the Emergency Relief Program and the Rural Energy for America Program. Kim and David will also cover the steps that Producers should take when disaster strikes to ensure that appropriate programs are opened.
 
Kim and David’s ranch participated in USDA programs for about 12 years before founding CDR. Kim began taking on clients when she saw how much money local producers missed out on when applying for Hurricane Irma disaster relief programs. It was quickly apparent that Producers needed a service to make participation less overwhelming, but that need was bigger than anyone expected.
 
The company began recruiting skilled Program Technicians from Central Florida USDA subagencies. Within a year of its founding, CDR expanded to over 30 states.
 
The firm is best pictured as the hub of a wagon wheel. Services provided by the company are the spokes that form a connection between the public (government agencies) and private (independent Producers) agriculture sectors. Kim and David’s presentation will analyze each of these spokes, which include:
 
Spoke 1: Disaster and Cost Share Programs. Finding and enrolling in disaster aid programs or infrastructure improvement projects, matching grants/programs that fit your operation, and the benefits of representation when interacting with the USDA. Responding to audits and managing appeals.
 
Spoke 2: Grants. Kim and David will briefly touch on Farm Level (dealing with just one or a few agricultural operations) and Industry Level (impacting sectors of agriculture on a county or state-wide basis) grants, and how they can help improve agriculture.
 
Spoke 3: Outreach, Education, Leadership, and Advocacy. How to campaign after a destructive event. Open programs, increasing funding, and fighting for Producers’ best interests.
 
Spoke 4: Making Connections Across all Agriculture. CDR’s work to connect agricultural communities together. The firm is often at the center of new ideas in agriculture, across all sectors. Kim and David will talk about the best ways to utilize this for benefit of clients, project partners, associations, and Producers of all types.
 

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