USDA Designates 25 Missouri counties as primary natural disaster areas
(USDA) Missouri agricultural producers who suffered losses and damages due to recent drought on two separate occasions could be eligible for U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency emergency loans. For the recent drought, the U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue has designated Andrew, Caldwell, Carroll, Chariton, Clinton, Daviess, DeKalb, Gentry, Grundy, Harrison, Linn, Livingston, Macon, Mercer, Nodaway, Randolph, Ray, Saline and Sullivan counties in Missouri as primary natural disaster areas. Producers in the contiguous counties of Adair, Atchison, Audrain, Boone, Buchanan, Clay, Cooper, Holt, Howard, Jackson, Knox, Lafayette, Monroe, Pettis, Platte, Putnam, Shelby and Worth are also eligible to apply for emergency loans.
For the second recent drought, the Secretary has designated Adair, Buchanan, Howard, Putnam, Schuyler and Scotland counties in Missouri as primary natural disaster areas. Producers in the contiguous counties of Andrew, Boone, Chariton, Clark, Clinton, Cooper, DeKalb, Knox, Linn, Macon, Mercer, Platte, Randolph, Saline and Sullivan are also eligible to apply for emergency loans.
Producers in all designated primary and contiguous counties will have until April 1, 2019, to apply for emergency loans to help cover part of their actual losses. The Farm Service Agency (FSA) will consider each loan application on its own merits, taking into account the extent of losses, security available and repayment ability. FSA has a variety of programs, in addition to the emergency loan program, to help eligible farmers recover from the impacts of this disaster.
Additional information is also available online at https://www.farmers.gov/recover.
Story courtesy of Missourinet affiliate KFEQ in St. Joseph
