Disaster Reporting

The Agricultural Commissioner’s Office collects and reports data regarding commercial crop losses due to natural disasters such as flooding, freezing, fire, and drought. It is important to relay unusual commercial crop losses and damage to the Agricultural Commissioner’s Office as soon as they occur, as a disaster declaration can be requested within a limited timeframe once a countywide threshold of loss is reached.

To make a damage/loss report, fill out the document below and submit it to our Office:

• Ag Damage Report

For further information, call our Office at (209)754-6504 or email us

Disaster Assistance

There are Federal programs available to assist commercial producers through disasters. For more information, click below to link to the USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA): 

• https://www.fsa.usda.gov/

Calaveras County’s assigned local FSA office is located at:

3422 W Hammer Lane
Stockton, CA 95219
(209) 472-7127 ext. 2

California Animal Response Emergency Support (CARES)

The California Department of Food and Agriculture’s CARES program has a website that contains useful information and resources for animal care issues during natural disasters. On the right-hand side of the webpage, there are links to documents and plans to assist animal owners during emergencies. For more information, see the CARES Website.

Calaveras County’s Livestock Pass Program is a joint program between the Sheriff’s Office, the Agriculture Department, the Office of Emergency Services, and Animal Services in conjunction with our state partners. The purpose of the program is to allow commercial livestock producers access to their animals (when deemed safe by law enforcement) in the event of an emergency. Passholders are limited to performing functions that are necessary to protect their livestock, such as moving the animals to a safe location or providing husbandry (food, water, care) for livestock that cannot be immediately moved.

The program consists of a list of pre-approved commercial livestock producers who have gone through state-mandated training. Each commercial livestock producer is issued a pass that allows them, or their pre-designated representatives, to enter an evacuation area in coordination with and under the supervision of law enforcement when the area is deemed safe to enter.
Having a livestock pass does not guarantee automatic entry.

• Disaster Preparedness for Livestock Owners

To request a livestock pass, reach out to the Sheriff’s Office at (209) 754-6500 for more information.

To report an unusual number of sick or dead birds, or if you suspect Bird Flu in your livestock, call the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s (CDFA’s) hotline at (866) 922-2473.

Up-to-date information on HPAI, including any current restrictions, can be found on CDFA’s website at:

• https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/AHFSS/Animal_Health/HPAI.html