Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue has designated three Ohio counties as primary natural disaster areas, while making producers in eight others eligible for loans.
Producers who suffered losses due to recent natural disasters may be eligible for U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) emergency loans.
This natural disaster designation allows FSA to extend much-needed emergency credit to producers recovering from natural disasters. Emergency loans can be used to meet various recovery needs including the replacement of essential items such as equipment or livestock, reorganization of a farming operation or the refinance of certain debts.
Polar vortex and extreme cold
Producers in Fairfield and Licking counties who suffered losses due to a polar vortex and extreme cold that occurred May 7 through May 13, 2020, may be eligible for emergency loans. Producers in the contiguous Ohio counties of Coshocton, Delaware, Franklin, Hocking, Knox, Muskingum, Perry and Pickaway are also eligible to apply for emergency loans.
Excessive moisture and rainfall
Producers in Fairfield, Licking and Perry counties who suffered losses due to excessive moisture and rainfall that occurred during March 1 through May 22, 2020, may be eligible for emergency loans. Producers in the contiguous Ohio counties of Athens, Coshocton, Delaware, Franklin, Hocking, Knox, Morgan, Muskingum and Pickaway are also eligible to apply for emergency loans.
The deadline to apply for these emergency loans is May 17, 2021.
FSA will review the loans based on the extent of losses, security available and repayment ability. FSA has a variety of additional programs to help farmers recover from the impacts of this disaster.
FSA programs that do not require a disaster declaration include: Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program; Emergency Conservation Program; Livestock Forage Disaster Program; Livestock Indemnity Program; Operating and Farm Ownership Loans; and the Tree Assistance Program.
Farmers may contact their local USDA service center for further information on eligibility requirements and application procedures for these and other programs. Additional information is also available online at farmers.gov/recover.
