(DAVIS, CA) May 13, 2014— All California counties are eligible as primary or contiguous counties for previously-announced 2014 drought disaster assistance from the Farm Service Agency (FSA). All qualified farm operators are eligible to apply for low-interest FSA emergency loans.
This spring, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack designated 57 counties in California as primary natural disaster areas due to the drought. Farmers in eligible counties have 8 months from the date of the Secretarial disaster designation to apply for emergency loans. For most farmers in California, the eligibility period to apply for an Emergency loan extends to September 15, 2014.
“California farmers and ranchers have felt tremendous impacts from drought this season, with severe limitations on water supplies,” said FSA State Executive Director Val Dolcini. “Producers in these eligible counties can contact their nearest FSA office for details and to determine if they qualify.” The interest rate on emergency loans currently stands at 3.00 percent, providing a competitive, much-needed resource for producers hoping to recover from production and physical losses associated with natural disasters.
USDA’s low-interest emergency loans have helped producers recover from losses due to drought, flooding and other natural disasters for decades and a strong farm safety net is important to sustain the success of American agriculture.
Additional resources for drought relief can be found by going to the USDA website at www.usda.gov/drought and the California Department of Agriculture website at www.cdfa.ca.gov/drought.