Farmers who suffered damage from excessive rains last May are eligible for USDA emergency loans

The Sun Gazette

WASHINGTON – COVID-19 isn’t the only disaster affecting businesses. As farmers and farm laborers continue to work as part of the country’s critical infrastructure, the greatest threat to producers remains its old friend and nemesis: the weather.

The federal bureaucracy continues to move forward with government business, especially services that affect the food supply chain. On March 18, US Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue designated six counties in California, including Tulare County, as top natural disaster areas for weather losses. Growers who suffered crop damage during excessive rains and hail a year ago may be eligible for emergency loans from the Farm Service Agency (FSA) of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Growers in Kings, Sacramento, San Joaquin and Tulare counties who suffered losses due to excessive rains between May 15 and May 30, 2019, may be eligible for emergency loans. Producers from contiguous California counties of Alameda, Amador, Calaveras, Contra Costa, El Dorado, Fresno, Inyo, Kern, Monterey, Placer, San Luis Obispo, Solano, Stanislaus, Sutter and Yolo, are also eligible to apply for loans. emergency. .

Growers in Fresno County who suffered losses due to excessive rains and hail between May 15 and May 30, 2019 may be eligible for emergency loans. Growers in contiguous California counties of Inyo, Kings, Madera, Merced, Mono, Monterey, San Benito and Tulare can also apply for emergency loans.

The deadline to apply for these emergency loans is November 7, 2020.