STATEHOUSE – St. Joseph and Elkhart Counties, represented by Rep. Tim Neese (R-Elkhart), have been designated as primary disaster areas by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). On Wednesday, the USDA added 14 Indiana counties to the existing list of 50 primary natural disaster areas. The USDA also designated 16 contiguous counties as eligible for assistance. In all, 80 Indiana counties now qualify for assistance from the Farm Service Agency (FSA). “This drought has significantly impacted Hoosiers everywhere especially our agriculture community,” Rep. Neese stated. “Despite the devastation it has caused, there are resources available to help farmers deal with the situation at hand and the USDA’s announcement is welcome news.” According to the USDA, farmers in both primary and contiguous counties have eight months from the designation date to apply for emergency loan assistance from the FSA. The FSA will take into account the extent of production losses, security available and repayment ability when determining eligibility. Farmers are urged to contact their local FSA office for more information or visit www.in.gov/drought/. Rep. Neese Northern Indiana Counties Designated Drought Disaster Areas.doc |
