Just like an announcement a week ago which included Hall County this one is from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and includes Lumpkin and White counties.
Secretary Tom Vilsack has issued a natural disaster declaration for five counties located in Southwest and Northeast Georgia following a sustained period of drought, adding to the fifteen counties already declared primary natural disaster areas in recent weeks.
Primary counties included in this latest declaration are Decatur, Early, Miller, Seminole, and Union, which have sustained eight or more weeks of severe, extreme, or exceptional drought conditions. In addition, these contiguous counties are included: Baker, Calhoun, Clay, Fannin, Grady, Lumpkin, Mitchell, Towns, White.
This action allows USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) to extend essential emergency credit to Georgia farmers affected by these weather events.
“For the first time in four years, Georgia has been impacted by extreme drought conditions – negatively impacting our state’s #1 industry and our farmer’s livelihoods,” said state Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper.
USDA FSA loans can be used to meet various recovery requirements, including replacing essential items such as farm equipment or livestock, reorganizing a farming operation, or refinancing specific loans.
EARLIER STORY:
Hall among latest counties declared eligible for federal relief from drought (wgtjradio.com)