USDA DESIGNATES NEVADA AS AN AGRICULTURAL DISASTER AREA

Decision Allows Farmers and Ranchers to Apply for USDA Assistance

RENO, NEVADA, January 13, 2009- Roger Van Valkenburg, State Executive Director of USDA’s Farm Service Agency in Nevada, announced today that the entire state of Nevada was designated as a primary disaster area due to damages caused by drought that occurred from January 1, 2008, and continuing.

USDA designated Nye and White Pine counties on November 18, 2008 and designated all remaining Nevada counties and the independent city of Carson City on January 2, 2009.

These designations make all qualified farm operators in primary and contiguous counties eligible to be considered for assistance from the Farm Service Agency (FSA), provided eligibility requirements are met. This assistance includes FSA emergency loans and the Supplemental Revenue Assistance Program, which was approved as part of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008. Farmers and ranchers have eight months from the date of the designations to apply for the loans to help cover part of actual losses. FSA will consider each application on its own merit by taking into account the extent of losses, security available, and repayment ability.

Interested farmers and ranchers may contact their local FSA offices for further information on eligibility requirements and application procedures for these and other programs. Additional information is also available online at: http://fsa.usda.gov.



http://www.lincolncountyrecord.com/pages/090129usda