WASHINGTON, March 18, 2020 — Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue designated six California counties as primary natural disaster areas. Producers who suffered losses due to recent natural disasters may be eligible for U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) emergency loans.

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USDA Designates Six California Counties as Primary Natural Disaster Areas

Emergency Support to Producers in Surrounding Counties Also Available

WASHINGTON, March 18, 2020 — Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue designated six California counties as primary natural disaster areas. Producers who suffered losses due to recent natural disasters may be eligible for U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) emergency loans.

This natural disaster designation allows FSA to extend much-needed emergency credit to producers recovering from natural disasters. Emergency loans can be used to meet various recovery needs including the replacement of essential items such as equipment or livestock, reorganization of a farming operation or the refinance of certain debts.

Drought

Producers in San Bernardino County who suffered losses due to recent drought may be eligible for emergency loans.

Producers in the contiguous California counties of Inyo, Kern, Los Angeles, Orange, and Riverside, along with La Paz and Mohave counties in Arizona, and Clark County, Nevada, are also eligible to apply for emergency loans.

Excessive Rain

Producers in Kings, Sacramento, San Joaquin, and Tulare counties who suffered losses due to excessive rain that occurred between May 15 and May 30, 2019, may be eligible for emergency loans.

Producers in the contiguous California counties of Alameda, Amador, Calaveras, Contra Costa, El Dorado, Fresno, Inyo, Kern, Monterey, Placer, San Luis Obispo, Solano, Stanislaus, Sutter, and Yolo, are also eligible to apply for emergency loans.

Excessive Rain and Hail

Producers in Fresno County who suffered losses due to excessive rain and hail that occurred between May 15 and May 30, 2019, may be eligible for emergency loans.

Producers in the contiguous California counties of Inyo, Kings, Madera, Merced, Mono, Monterey, San Benito, and Tulare, are also eligible to apply for emergency loans.

The deadline to apply for these emergency loans is Nov. 7, 2020.

FSA will review the loans based on the extent of losses, security available and repayment ability.

FSA has a variety of additional programs to help farmers recover from the impacts of this disaster. FSA programs that do not require a disaster declaration include: Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program; Emergency Conservation Program; Livestock Forage Disaster Program; Livestock Indemnity Program; Operating and Farm Ownership Loans; and the Tree Assistance Program.

Farmers may contact their local USDA service center for further information on eligibility requirements and application procedures for these and other programs. Additional information is also available online at farmers.gov/recover.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.