(Undated)—Some area farmers are eligible for assistance thanks to a Presidential Major Disaster Designation that’s been given to some counties just across the border in southwest Minnesota. 11 counties in Iowa that are contiguous to them are also eligible for assistance. Locally, they include Dickinson, Emmet, Kossuth, Lyon and Osceola counties.
20 counties in Minnesota were named primary counties under the designation, which stems from heavy rainfall, freezing temperatures and thawing and re-freezing that resulted in winterkill from January 1st through May 15th of this year.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency says farmers wishing to make an application through the designation have until January 8th, 2014 in which to do so.
Farmers in the designated areas are eligible to apply for emergency loans which would enable them to return to normal operations if they sustained qualifying losses during the designated time frame.
Producers interested in signing up should contact their local Farm Service Agency office.
