USDA DESIGNATES COUNTIES IN MISSISSIPPI AS AGRICULTURAL DISASTER AREAS
Decision Allows Farmers and Ranchers to Apply for USDA Assistance
WASHINGTON, Sept. 9, 2005 - Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns today designated 31 counties in Mississippi as primary agricultural disaster areas, making certain farmers, ranchers and other agricultural producers in the counties eligible for low-interest emergency loans from USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA).
"I'm pleased that USDA can offer assistance to farmers and ranchers who have sustained losses from Hurricane Katrina," said Johanns. "This agriculture disaster designation will enable eligible producers to apply for low-interest emergency loans from USDA to help cover their losses. This announcement is a part of our commitment to help farmers and ranchers to rebuild their operations."
As a result of the major disaster declared a for the State of Mississippi on Aug. 29 by President George W. Bush due to Hurricane Katrina, 47 of 82 counties in Mississippi were already eligible for all available assistance for which a Presidential or Secretarial primary natural disaster designation would require. USDA has reviewed documentation for the remaining 35 Mississippi counties and determined that 31 of them have sustained sufficient production losses to warrant a disaster designation. The remaining four counties are eligible as contiguous counties, resulting in eligibility across the entire State of Mississippi.
The following counties were today designated as primary agricultural disaster areas:
Benton
Grenada
Monroe
Tallahatchie
Bolivar
Holmes
Montgomery
Tate
Calhoun
Humphreys
Panola
Tunica
Carroll
Issaquena
Pontotoc
Union
Chickasaw
Itawamba
Prentiss
Washington
Clay
Lafayette
Quitman
Webster
Coahoma
Leflore
Sharkey
Yalobusha
De Soto
Marshall
Sunflower
Counties eligible because they are contiguous to those listed above are:
Alcorn Lee Tippah Tishomingo
The counties listed above were designated agricultural disaster areas, making all qualified farm operators eligible for emergency loans, provided eligibility requirements are met. Farmers in eligible counties have eight months from the date of the declaration to apply
USDA has also made other programs available to assist farmers and ranchers, including the Emergency Conservation Program, Federal Crop Insurance and the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program.
Interested farmers may contact their local USDA Service Centers for further information on eligibility requirements and application procedures for these and other programs. Additional information is also available online at: http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/webapp?area=home&subject=diap&topic=landing
