Emergency Loans Available For Farmers in 14 More Counties From Spring Storms
The exceptional rainfall of last May and June resulted in considerable damage to farmland in Alabama. It led to 25 impacted Alabama counties being declared by The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) as primary natural disaster areas. Walker was the only West Central Alabama county on the initial list. Now 14 additional counties have been listed as contiguous disaster areas due to their proximity to the other counties.
Tuscaloosa, Fayette and Lamar counties have been added to the farm disaster declaration list.
In a press release, Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries Commissioner Rick Pate stated, "The rain during this year’s planting season impacted more than half of Alabama’s counties, leading to planting delays or preventing it altogether.
“We recognize the hardship our farmers have faced with the late spring flooding and now the current drought,” Commissioner Pate said. “We encourage them to reach out to their local USDA officers to explore available funding.
The current U.S. Drought Monitor issued last Thursday, September 18, painted most all of West Alabama under Moderate Drought with a portion of Marengo and southwestern Hale counties in severe drought. The dry conditions have led to crop damage and dozens of wildfires. As of this evening four of the 29 wildfires burning in the state are in West Alabama. One is in northeast Pickens County, one in southern Tuscaloosa County and two located in western Hale County.
A new U.S. Drought Monitor will be issued Thursday morning as much of Alabama has received rainfall today.
The continual rain during spring that prompted the declaration began in May with heavy downpours over already very saturated ground. That combined with tropical downpours that set up in the afternoon and evening hours during the heat of the day when the atmosphere developed heavy storms.”
The declaration offers emergency assistance loans to farmers from the USDA. Farmers in the designated counties have eight months from September 15th to apply for help.
Farmers can go online to find eligibility requirements for an emergency assistance loan. More information is available at the Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool, Disaster Assistance-at-a-Glance fact sheet, and Loan Assistance Tool to help determine program or loan options. To file a Notice of Loss or to ask questions about available programs, contact your local USDA Service Center.
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