On October 8, the Department of Agriculture announced farmers in Beaver, Crawford, Erie, Lawrence, and Mercer counties are eligible to receive disaster relief assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“Mother Nature seems more unpredictable and severe each year, and I know that farmers in western Pennsylvania were especially challenged by a wet spring in 2019 – right after they faced a soaked 2018,” said Redding. “If the wet weather this year put a damper on your growing season, I encourage you to check with your local Farm Service Agency team to see how they can help.”

The USDA announced a primary agricultural disaster designation for counties in Ohio.

Under this disaster designation, producers in contiguous counties in Indiana, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia also qualify for benefits. Beaver, Crawford, Erie, Lawrence, and Mercer counties were designated as primary natural disaster areas due to the significant production losses caused by excessive rain and flooding from January 1 through August 20, 2019.

Pennsylvania farmers are therefore eligible for assistance, including emergency loans, provided that eligibility requirements are met.

Eligible farmers can apply for loans for up to eight months after a Secretarial disaster declaration and should contact their local Farm Service Agency office for assistance.

More information on USDA’s disaster assistance program, including county lists and maps, can be found at the USDA Disaster Assistance Programs webpage.

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[Posted: October 9, 2019]

10/14/2019