Seneca among Ohio counties declared disaster area by USDA

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Seneca County is one of several Ohio counties designated as primary natural disaster areas by Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, according to a USDA news release.

Producers who suffered losses due to three separate disaster events may be eligible for U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) emergency loans.

This natural disaster designation allows FSA to extend much-needed emergency credit to producers recovering from natural disasters. Emergency loans can be used to meet various recovery needs including the replacement of essential items such as equipment or livestock, reorganization of a farming operation or the refinance of certain debts.

Extreme Precipitation and Flooding

Producers in Auglaize, Paulding, Seneca, Wood, and Wyandot counties, who suffered losses caused by rain, flash flooding, flooding, excessive moisture and extreme precipitation events that occurred since Nov. 11, 2018, are eligible to apply for emergency loans.

Producers in the contiguous Ohio counties of Allen, Crawford, Defiance, Hancock, Hardin, Henry, Huron, Logan, Lucas, Marion, Mercer, Ottawa, Putnam, Sandusky, Shelby, and Van Wert, along with Allen County, Indiana, are also eligible to apply for emergency loans.

Cold, Excessive Rain, Flooding, and Polar Vortex

Producers in Athens, Fairfield, Hocking, Licking, and Washington counties who suffered losses due to cold, excessive rain, flooding, and the polar vortex that occurred from January 20 through February 1, 2019, are eligible to apply for emergency loans.

Producers in the contiguous Ohio counties of Coshocton, Delaware, Franklin, Knox, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Muskingum, Noble, Perry, Pickaway, Ross, and Vinton, along with Pleasants, Tyler, and Wood counties in West Virginia, are also eligible to apply for emergency loans.

Freeze, High Winds, and Extreme Cold

Producers in Ottawa and Sandusky counties, who suffered losses caused by freeze, high winds, extreme cold and the polar vortex that occurred between Jan. 20 and April 30, 2019, are eligible to apply for emergency loans.

Producers in the contiguous Ohio counties of Erie, Huron, Lucas, Seneca, and Wood, are also eligible to apply for emergency loans.

The deadline to apply for these emergency loans is March 25, 2020.

FSA will review the loans based on the extent of losses, security available and repayment ability.

FSA has a variety of additional programs to help farmers recover from the impacts of this disaster. FSA programs that do not require a disaster declaration include: Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program; Emergency Conservation Program; Livestock Forage Disaster Program; Livestock Indemnity Program; Operating and Farm Ownership Loans; and the Tree Assistance Program.

Farmers may contact their local USDA service center for further information on eligibility requirements and application procedures for these and other programs. Additional information is also available online at farmers.gov/recover.