USDA Declares Ag Disaster Areas

WASHINGTON - Dec 1/05 - SNS -- The USDA designated counties in California, Iowa, Michigan and Texas as primary natural disaster areas, making all qualified farm operators eligible for low-interest emergency (EM) loans from USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA).

In California, El Dorado, Nevada and San Joaquin Counties have been designated primary natural disaster areas.

El Dorado County was designated due to losses caused by unseasonable rains that occurred from May 16, 2005, through June 16, 2005; and hail and freezing conditions that occurred from April 15, 2005, through May 15, 2005.

Also eligible because they are contiguous and have sustained production losses due to the same disaster conditions are Alpine, Amador, Placer and Sacramento Counties.

Nevada County was designated due to losses caused by rains that occurred from April 15, 2005, through June 15, 2005.

Also eligible because they are contiguous and have sustained production losses due to the same disaster conditions are Placer, Sierra and Yuba Counties.

San Joaquin County was designated due to losses caused by excessive rains that occurred from March 1, 2005, through May 31, 2005.

Also eligible because they are contiguous and sustained production losses due to the same disaster conditions are Alameda, Amador, Calaveras, Contra Costa, Sacramento and Stanislaus Counties.

In Iowa, Clay, Dubuque, Harrison and Monona have been designated primary natural disaster areas due to losses caused by drought that occurred from Jan. 1, 2005, and continuing.

Also eligible because they are contiguous are the following counties:

Buena Vista    Delaware     Jackson     Palo Alto       Woodbury
Cherokee       Dickinson    Jones       Pocahontas
Clayton        Emmet        O'Brien     Pottawattamie
Crawford       Ida          Oscola      Shelby

In Michigan, 50 counties have been designated primary natural disaster areas.

Due to losses caused by a series of storms with excessive rain, localized flooding, high winds, and hail that occurred from June 5, 2005, through July 24, 2005, the following counties have been designated primary natural disaster areas:

Calhoun      Kalamazoo     St. Joseph
Huron        Mecosta       Tuscola
Jackson      Sanilac       Van Buren

Also eligible because they are contiguous and sustained production losses due to the same disaster conditions are the following counties:

Allegan      Cass          Ingham       Livingston     St. Clair
Barry        Clare         Isabella     Montcalm       Washtenaw
Bay          Eaton         Lake         Newaygo
Berrien      Genesee       Lapeer       Osceola
Branch       Hillsdale     Lenawee      Saginaw

Due to losses caused by drought that occurred from April 1, 2005, and continuing, the following counties have been designated primary natural disaster areas:

Alger        Delta            Kent          Missaukee     Van Buren
Allegan      Dickinson        Keweenaw      Muskegon
Antrim       Emmet            Leelanau      Newaygo
Baraga       Gogebic          Luce          Oceana
Berrien      Grand Traverse   Mackinac      Ontonagon
Calhoun      Houghton         Manistec      Osceola
Cass         Ionia            Marquette     Otsego
Charlevoix   Iron             Mason         Ottawa
Cheboygan    Kalamazoo        Mecosta       Presque Isle
Chippewa     Kalkaska         Menominee     Schoolcraft

Also eligible because they are contiguous and sustained production losses due to the same disaster conditions are the following counties:

Alpena        Clare          Gratiot        Lake           Roscommon
Barry         Clinton        Hillsdale      Montcalm       St. Joseph
Benzie        Crawford       Isabella       Montmorency    Wexford
Branch        Eaton          Jackson        Oscoda

In Texas, Cameron, Hidalgo and Kenedy Counties have been designated primary natural disaster areas.

Cameron County was designated due to losses caused by flooding, high winds, a hurricane and lightning that occurred from July 19, 2005, through July 20, 2005.

Also eligible because they are contiguous and have sustained production losses due to the same disaster conditions are Hidalgo and Willacy Counties.

Hidalgo County was designated due to losses caused by drought and excessive temperatures that occurred from Jan. 1, 2005, through June 30, 2005.

Also eligible because they are contiguous and have sustained production losses due to the same disaster conditions are Brooks, Cameron, Kenedy, Starr and Willacy Counties.

Kenedy County was designated due to losses caused by drought and excessive temperatures that occurred during the current year, beginning Jan. 1, 2005, and continuing.

Also eligible because they are contiguous and sustained production losses due to the same disaster conditions are Brooks, Hidalgo, Kleberg and Willacy Counties.

The counties listed above were designated natural disaster areas on Nov. 14, 2005, making all qualified farm operators eligible for EM loans, provided eligibility requirements are met. Farmers in eligible counties have eight months from the date of the declaration to apply for the loans to help cover part of their actual losses.