BISMARCK, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue designated 16 North Dakota counties as primary natural disaster areas.
Emergency support to producers in surrounding counties, including counties in border states, is also available. Producers suffering losses from five separate WHIP+ eligible disaster events may now be eligible for U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) emergency loans.
“We are extremely grateful to Secretary Perdue for this designation,” Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring said. “The designation makes resources available to help producers with losses due to the impacts of recent natural disasters.”
The designation covers the following disasters:
Drought
Producers in Benson, Bottineau, Burke, Divide, McHenry, Pembina, Pierce, Renville, Walsh, and Ward counties who suffered losses due to drought that occurred April 1 through Aug. 31, 2019, are eligible to apply for emergency loans.
Producers in the contiguous North Dakota counties of Cavalier, Eddy, Grand Forks, McLean, Mountrail, Nelson, Ramsey, Rolette, Sheridan, Towner, Wells, and Williams, along with Kittson and Marshall counties in Minnesota, and Sheridan County, Montana, are also eligible to apply for emergency loans.
Excessive Snow, Excessive Moisture, and Flooding
Producers in Barnes, Dickey, and Logan counties who suffered losses due to excessive snow, excessive moisture, and flooding that occurred Jan. 1, 2019, through Dec. 6, 2019, are eligible to apply for emergency loans.
Producers in the contiguous North Dakota counties of Cass, Emmons, Griggs, Kidder, LaMoure, McIntosh, Ransom, Sargent, Steele, and Stutsman, along with Brown and McPherson counties in South Dakota, are also eligible to apply for emergency loans.
Excessive Snow, Excessive Moisture, Flooding, High Winds, and Hail
Producers in Burleigh County who suffered losses due to excessive snow, excessive moisture, flooding, high winds, and hail that has occurred since July 1, 2019, are eligible to apply for emergency loans.
Producers in the contiguous North Dakota counties of Emmons, Kidder, McLean, Morton, Oliver, and Sheridan are also eligible to apply for emergency loans.
Excessive Snow, Excessive Moisture, High Winds, and Hail
Producers in McLean County who suffered losses due to excessive snow, excessive moisture, high winds, and hail that occurred Aug. 1 through Nov. 13, 2019, are eligible to apply for emergency loans.
Producers in the contiguous North Dakota counties of Burleigh, Dunn, McHenry, Mercer, Mountrail, Oliver, Sheridan, and Ward are also eligible to apply for emergency loans.
Excessive Moisture and Flooding
Producers in Richland County who suffered losses due to excessive moisture and flooding that has occurred since July 20, 2019, are eligible to apply for emergency loans.
Producers in the contiguous North Dakota counties of Cass, Ransom, and Sargent, along with Clay, Traverse, and Wilkin counties in Minnesota, and Marshall and Roberts counties in South Dakota, are also eligible to apply for emergency loans.
Forty-seven of North Dakota’s 53 counties had previously been approved for a secretarial disaster designation. The remaining six counties are now covered with this designation, making all of North Dakota eligible.
The deadline to apply for these emergency loans is Oct. 28, 2020. FSA considers each loan based on the extent of losses, security available and repayment ability.
For further information on eligibility requirements and application procedures, please go to www.farmers.gov/recover.