USDA designates nine Indiana counties as primary natural disaster areas; Starke Co. contiguous, eligible

Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue designated nine Indiana counties as primary natural disaster areas. Producers who suffered losses caused by 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.

Excessive Rain

Producers in Hamilton, Lake, Perry, Porter, Spencer, and Tipton counties, who suffered losses due to excessive rain that has occurred since March 1, 2019, are eligible to apply for emergency loans.

Producers in the contiguous Indiana counties of Boone, Clinton, Crawford, Dubois, Grant, Hancock, Howard, Jasper, LaPorte, Madison, Marion, Newton, Starke, and Warrick, along with Cook, Kankakee, and Will counties in Illinois; and Breckinridge, Daviess, Hancock and Meade counties in Kentucky, are also eligible to apply for emergency loans.

Excessive Rain, Flash Flooding, and Flooding

Producers in Floyd and Harrison counties who suffered losses due to excessive rain, flash flooding, and flooding that has occurred since March 1, 2019, are eligible to apply for emergency loans.

Producers in the contiguous Indiana counties of Clark, Crawford, and Washington, along with Hardin, Jefferson, and Meade counties in Kentucky, are also eligible to apply for emergency loans.

Excessive Rain and Flooding

Producers in Vanderburgh County who suffered losses due to excessive rain and flooding that has occurred since March 1, 2019, are eligible to apply for emergency loans.

Producers in the contiguous Indiana counties of Gibson, Posey, and Warrick, along with Henderson County, Kentucky, are also eligible to apply for emergency loans.

The deadline to apply for these emergency loans is Oct. 19, 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.