WASHINGTON — Farmers across most of Ohio will be able to get help to cover losses from severe weather-related crop damages this year, if they meet eligibility requirements.
Two disasters
The USDA has designated 79 counties in Ohio, plus bordering counties in Kentucky, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and West Virginia, as natural disaster areas.
This disaster was caused by the combined effects of varying periods of excessive rain, flooding, flash flooding, high winds, hail, tornadoes, drought, freeze and frost that occurred from April 1, 2010, through Aug. 3, 2010. The effects of the severe weather resulted in damage to corn, wheat, soybeans, and other crops.
Emergency loans are available to eligible applicants with qualifying production losses in the primary and contiguous counties.
Farm operators in the designated counties will have eight months from the Sept. 29 declaration date to apply for loans to help cover part of their actual losses.
Primary counties
Primary counties in this area of Ohio include Ashtabula, Geauga, Guernsey, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Morgan, Muskingum, Noble, and Trumbull.
Contiguous counties
Contiguous counties in this area of Ohio include Belmont, Coshocton, Cuyahoga, Harrison, Mahoning, Monroe, Portage, Summit, Tuscarawas, and Wayne.
Farm Service Agency Administrator Jonathon Coppess has issued an administrator’s physical loss designation for 27 counties in Ohio. The physical losses were caused by excessive rain, flooding, flash flooding, hail, high winds, lightning, and tornadoes that occurred during the period from April 5 and continued.
Emergency physical loss loans are available to eligible applicants with qualifying severe physical losses to buildings, farm equipment, and livestock. Farm operators in the designated counties will have eight months from the Aug. 24 declaration date to apply for loans to help cover part of their losses.
The damaged property must have been covered by insurance prior to the disaster occurrence. Primary counties in this area of Ohio include Belmont and Monroe. Contiguous counties include Guernsey, Harrison, Jefferson, Morgan, and Noble.
Information
Additional information on Farm Service Agency emergency loans is available at your local FSA office or visit www.fsa.usda.gov.
