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Farmers in all 92 Indiana counties eligible for disaster assistance

Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb has announced that Hoosier farmers in all 92 counties are eligible for assistance under a secretarial natural disaster designation. 

Governor Holcomb sent a letter to Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue in July requesting assistance due to the excessive rain and flooding farmers experienced during the planting season. Seventy-four counties were designated as primary natural disaster areas and the USDA deferred its decision on the remaining 18 counties.  However, since they border one or more of the primary disaster areas, they are also eligible for the same assistance. 

Indiana’s Secretary of Agriculture, Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch says she’s pleased to see this type of assistance is available to Indiana farmers after this unprecedented year.  Indiana director of ag Bruce Kettler says this isn’t a cure-all solution, but the assistance is welcome news and will help those who were severely impacted. 

As long as requirements are met, farmers are eligible for assistance from the Farm Service Agency that includes access to low-interest FSA emergency loans.  In order to qualify farmers must show at least a 30 percent loss in crop production or physical loss to livestock, livestock products, or real estate.  Farmers can borrow up to 100 percent of their actual production or physical losses up to $500,000.