Farmers in 3 R.I. counties qualify for assistance due to drought

FARMERS AND ranchers in three Rhode Island counties qualify for natural disaster assistance due to damages and losses caused by drought that is continuing from July 1, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
FARMERS AND ranchers in three Rhode Island counties qualify for natural disaster assistance due to damages and losses caused by drought that is continuing from July 1, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

PROVIDENCE – Farmers and ranchers in three Rhode Island counties qualify for natural disaster assistance due to damages and losses caused by drought that is continuing from July 1, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The counties are Kent, Washington and Providence.
The federal agency also designated Hartford, New London, Tolland and Windham counties in Connecticut as primary natural disaster areas due to damages and losses caused by drought.
“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 Connecticut producers that USDA stands with you and your communities when severe weather and natural disasters threaten to disrupt your livelihood,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a statement.
Farmers and ranchers in Litchfield, Middlesex and New Haven counties in Connecticut also qualify for natural disaster assistance because their counties are contiguous. Rhode Island’s counties qualified because they are contiguous, the agency said.
Hampden and Worcester counties in Massachusetts also qualified, as did Suffolk County in New York.
The counties were designated natural disaster areas on Dec. 10, making all qualified farm operators in the designated areas eligible for low-interest emergency loans from USDA’s Farm Service Agency, provided eligibility requirements are met.
Farmers in eligible 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, taking into account the extent of losses, security available and repayment ability. FSA has a variety of programs to help eligible farmers recover from adversity.
Interested farmers may contact their local USDA Service Centers for information on eligibility requirements and application procedures. Additional information is also available online at disaster.fsa.usda.gov.

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