Baton Rouge, LA — The U.S. Department of Agriculture has
designated 11 parishes in Louisiana as primary natural disaster areas due to
losses caused by severe storms and flooding that occurred from Aug. 11,
2016, through Aug. 31, 2016. Those parishes are:
Acadia; Evangeline; Lafayette;
St. Martin; Ascension; Iberia; St. James; Vermilion; Cameron; Jefferson Davis;
and St. Landry.
“Our hearts go out to those Louisiana farmers and ranchers affected by recent natural
disasters,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “President Obama and I are
committed to ensuring that agriculture remains a bright spot in our nation’s
economy by sustaining the successes of America’s farmers, ranchers, and rural
communities through these difficult times. We’re also telling Louisiana
producers that USDA stands with you and your communities when severe weather
and natural disasters threaten to disrupt your livelihood.”
Farmers and ranchers in the following parishes in Louisiana also qualify for natural
disaster assistance because their counties are contiguous. Those parishes are:
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Allen
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Calcasieu
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Lafourche
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Rapides
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Assumption
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East Baton Rouge
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Livingston
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St. John the Baptist
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Avoyelles
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Iberville
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Pointe Coupee
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St. Mary
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Beauregard
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Farmers and ranchers in Jefferson
and Orange counties in Texas
also qualify for natural disaster assistance because their counties are
contiguous.
All parishes and counties listed above are designated
natural disaster areas effective Sept. 22, 2016, making all qualified farm
operators in the designated areas eligible for low interest emergency (EM)
loans from USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA), provided eligibility requirements
are met. Farmers in eligible parishes and counties have eight months from the
date of the declaration to apply for loans to help cover part of their actual
losses. FSA will consider each loan application on its own merits, taking into
account the extent of losses, security available and repayment ability. FSA has
a variety of programs, in addition to the EM loan program, to help eligible
farmers recover from adversity.
Louisiana FSA State Office
contact:
3737 Government Street
Alexandria, LA 71302
(318)473-7721
Alexandria, LA 71302
(318)473-7721
Other FSA programs that can provide assistance, but do not
require a disaster declaration, include the Emergency
Conservation Program; Livestock
Forage Disaster Program; Livestock
Indemnity Program; Emergency Assistance for Livestock,
Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program; and the Tree
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://disaster.fsa.usda.gov.
If you have questions about USDA activities, please visit
our Ask the Expert page. This
feature is designed to assist you in obtaining the information you are seeking.
USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (866) 632-9992 (Toll-free Customer Service), (800) 877-8339 (Local or Federal relay), (866) 377-8642 (Relay voice users).
USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (866) 632-9992 (Toll-free Customer Service), (800) 877-8339 (Local or Federal relay), (866) 377-8642 (Relay voice users).
Full details available at https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDAOC/bulletins/165ded4
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