SC & NC Counties designated as Natural Disaster Areas due to 2011 Drought

USDA Designates 6 Counties in South Carolina as Primary Natural Disaster Areas with Assistance to Farmers and Ranchers in North Carolina

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated Cherokee, Greenville, Laurens, Pickens, Spartanburg and Union counties in South Carolina as primary natural disaster areas due to losses caused by drought and excessive heat that began June 1, 2011, and continues.

"South Carolina producers can continue to count on USDA to provide emergency assistance during difficult times," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. "America's farmers and rural communities are vitally important to our nation's economy, producing the food, feed, fiber and fuel that continue to help us grow. President Obama and I are committed to using the resources at our disposal to reduce the impact of these disasters on South Carolina producers and help to get those affected back on their feet."

Farmers and ranchers in the following counties in South Carolina also qualify for natural disaster assistance because their counties are contiguous:

• Abbeville
• Anderson
• Chester
• Fairfield
• Greenwood
• Newberry
• Oconee
• York

Farmers and ranchers in Cleveland, Henderson, Polk, Rutherford and Transylvania counties in North Carolina also qualify for natural disaster assistance because their counties are contiguous.

All counties listed above were designated natural disaster areas Dec. 19, 2011, making all qualified farm operators in the designated areas eligible for low interest emergency (EM) loans from USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA), provided eligibility requirements are met. Farmers in eligible counties have eight months from the date of the declaration to apply for loans to help cover part of their actual losses. FSA will consider each loan application on its own merits, taking into account the extent of losses, security available and repayment ability. FSA has a variety of programs, in addition to the EM loan program, to help eligible farmers recover from adversity.

USDA also has made other programs available to assist farmers and ranchers, including the Supplemental Revenue Assistance Program (SURE), which was approved as part of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008; the Emergency Conservation Program; Federal Crop Insurance; and the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program. Interested farmers may contact their local USDA Service Centers for further information on eligibility requirements and application procedures for these and other programs. Additional information is also available online at http://disaster.fsa.usda.gov.

Secretary Vilsack also reminds producers that the department's authority to operate the five disaster assistance programs authorized by the 2008 Farm Bill expired on Sept. 30, 2011. This includes SURE; the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP); the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm-Raised Fish (ELAP); the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP); and the Tree Assistance Program (TAP). Production losses in the counties listed above are covered because the event triggering the loss occurred prior to the expiration of these programs; however, production losses due to disasters occurring after Sept. 30, 2011, are not eligible for disaster program coverage.

USDA Designates Five Counties in Virginia as Primary Natural Disaster Areas, with Assistance to Farmers and Ranchers in North Carolina

WASHINGTON, Dec. 13, 2011—The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated five counties in Virginia as primary natural disaster areas due to losses caused by two separate disaster conditions.

Greensville and Lunenburg counties were designated primary natural disaster areas as a result of Hurricane Irene that occurred from Aug. 27-28, 2011.

“Assistance at this point and time is critically important for Virginia producers, especially in helping them keep their farmland healthy for the remainder of the year,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “President Obama and I are committed to using the resources at our disposal to reduce the impact of these disasters on Virginia producers and help to get those affected back on their feet.”

Farmers and ranchers in the following counties and independent cities in Virginia also qualify for natural disaster assistance because their counties are contiguous. Those counties and cities are:

Counties:

Independent cities:

• Emporia

Farmers and ranchers in Northampton County in North Carolina also qualify for natural disaster assistance because their county is contiguous.

Cumberland, Pittsylvania and Powhatan counties in Virginia were designated primary natural disaster areas as a result of drought and excessive heat that occurred from May 25, 2011, through Aug. 27, 2011.

Farmers and ranchers in the following counties and independent cities in Virginia also qualify for natural disaster assistance because their counties are contiguous. Those counties and cities are:

Counties:

Independent cities:

• Danville

Farmers and ranchers in Caswell and Rockingham counties in North Carolina also qualify for natural disaster assistance because their counties are contiguous.

All counties listed above were designated natural disaster areas Dec. 13, 2011, making all qualified farm operators in the designated areas eligible for low interest emergency (EM) loans from USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA), provided eligibility requirements are met. Farmers in eligible counties have eight months from the date of the declaration to apply for loans to help cover part of their actual losses. FSA will consider each loan application on its own merits, taking into account the extent of losses, security available and repayment ability. FSA has a variety of programs, in addition to the EM loan program, to help eligible farmers recover from adversity.

USDA also has made other programs available to assist farmers and ranchers, including the Supplemental Revenue Assistance Program (SURE), which was approved as part of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008; the Emergency Conservation Program; Federal Crop Insurance; and the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program. Interested farmers may contact their local USDA Service Centers for further information on eligibility requirements and application procedures for these and other programs. Additional information is also available online at http://disaster.fsa.usda.gov.

Secretary Vilsack also reminds producers that the department’s authority to operate the five disaster assistance programs authorized by the 2008 Farm Bill expired on Sept. 30, 2011. This includes SURE; the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP); the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm-Raised Fish (ELAP); the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP); and the Tree Assistance Program (TAP). Production losses in the counties listed above are covered because the event triggering the loss occurred prior to the expiration of these programs; however, production losses due to disasters occurring after Sept. 30, 2011, are not eligible for disaster program coverage.

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