Disaster aid offered to farmers in 37 MN counties
Go Deeper.
Create an account or log in to save stories.
Like this?
Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is making disaster aid available to farmers in 37 Minnesota counties, mostly in the northern two-thirds of the state.
In its announcement Thursday, the USDA cites the combined effects of excessive rain, flooding, flash flooding, unseasonably cool temperatures, frosts and freezes, and drought during the 2009 growing season.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says the declaration will provide help to hundreds of farmers who suffered significant production losses to a wide variety of crops. Gov. Tim Pawlenty requested the designation in January.
All qualified farm operators in the designated areas are eligible for low-interest emergency loans and other aid from the USDA's Farm Service Agency, provided eligibility requirements are met.
Turn Up Your Support
MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all.
---
The 16 counties designated as primary natural disaster area are: Aitkin, Becker, Beltrami, Carlton, Cass, Clearwater, Cook, Crow Wing, Hubbard, Itasca, Lake, Mahnomen, Pope, St. Louis, Wadena and Wilkin.
Farmers in 21 contiguous Minnesota counties can also qualify: Clay, Douglas, Grant, Kanabec, Kandiyohi, Koochiching, Lake of the Woods, Marshall, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Norman, Otter Tail, Pennington, Pine, Polk, Roseau, Stearns, Stevens, Swift, Todd and Traverse; as well as Richland County of North Dakota and Douglas County of Wisconsin.
---
On the Net: FSA Disaster Assistance Programs
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)