INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Eight additional Hoosier counties were declared disaster areas by the USDA because of flooding and excessive rain since May 1.
Last month, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack approved disaster declarations for 53 counties in the state. A declaration means farmers in the affected counties are eligible for low-interest loans, as are those in contiguous counties.
Counties given disaster status Sept. 2 were Clark, Fulton, Morgan, Owen, Rush, Shelby, White and Whitley. As stated, contiguous Indiana counties’ farmers also qualify, as do those in Jefferson, Oldham and Trimble counties in Kentucky (because their counties are contiguous as well).
"It has been a challenging year for Hoosier farmers," noted Gov. Mike Pence. "Hoosier farmers are resilient, but this designation will help those who suffered property damage as a result of the significant rainfall and flooding."
Several crops, including corn, soybeans, alfalfa, grasses and pumpkins, were impacted by the wet weather, according to the state USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA).
Loans are available to restore or replace essential property, to pay all or part of production costs in the disaster year and to pay essential family living expenses, according to the USDA. They may also be used to reorganize the farming operation and refinance some debts. Farmers may borrow up to 100 percent of actual production or physical losses, to a maximum of $500,000.
To be eligible for a loan, producers must own or operate the property in a designated disaster county or in a contiguous county, the USDA said. They must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States and must be established farm operators.
They must have suffered at least a 30 percent loss in crop production, livestock, livestock products, real estate or chattel property. They also must have an acceptable credit history, be unable to receive commercial credit, be able to provide collateral to secure the loan and have repayment ability.
Farmers should contact their local FSA office for more information or to apply.
