The federal government has designation 17 Georgia counties, including Dawson, Habersham, Lumpkin and White, as primary natural disaster areas. The USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture) declaration allows the Farm Service Agency (FSA) to extend emergency credit to producers recovering from natural disasters through emergency loans. As contiguous counties, Banks, Forsyth, and Hall are also included in the declaration.
“Our agency stands committed to providing support to our agricultural producers who are recovering from natural disasters,” said Arthur Tripp, state executive director for FSA in Georgia. “Drought conditions can be devastating for many agricultural operations. Through these designations, Georgia’s farmers and ranchers will have access to the emergency credit that is critical to their recovery from severe drought conditions.”
FSA emergency loans allow producers to borrow up to 100% of actual production or physical losses, up to a maximum amount of $500,000. These loans assist producers in meeting their various recovery needs, including the payment of essential family living expenses, reorganization of a farming operation, or to refinance certain debts. FSA considers each emergency loan application on its own merits, considering the extent of losses, security available and repayment ability.
For more information about FSA’s full suite of disaster recovery options, producers can visit farmers.gov, where the Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool, Disaster Assistance-at-a-Glance fact sheet and Loan Assistance Tool can help them determine program or loan options. Producers can also contact their local USDA Service Center to file a Notice of Loss and learn more about programs fitting their operational needs.