The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has issued a natural disaster declaration for 11 Georgia counties following a sustained period of drought, adding to the four Northwest Georgia Counties already declared primary natural disaster areas last week.
Impacted counties include Bartow, Cherokee, Dawson, Fannin, Floyd, Gilmer, Gordon, Lumpkin, Murray, Pickens, and Whitfield, which have sustained eight or more weeks of severe, extreme, or exceptional drought conditions. Contiguous counties also eligible are Catoosa, Chattooga, Cobb, Forsyth, Fulton, Hall, Paulding, Polk, Union, Walker, White. This declaration allows USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) to extend essential emergency credit to Georgia farmers affected by these weather events.
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. FSA reviews all loans based on the extent of losses, security available, and repayment ability. The deadline for applications is July 6, 2024.