NEWS
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Office of Communications News Room 460-A
Washington, DC 20250-1300
Internet: News @usda.gov Phone: 202-720-9035
World Wide Web Home Page: http://www.usda.gov
Release No. 0248.01
Dann Stuart (202) 690-0474
Dan_Stuart@wdc.fsa.usda.gov
TWO COUNTIES IN CALIFORNIA ELIGIBLE FOR USDA EMERGENCY FARM LOANS
WASHINGTON, Dec. 4, 2001--Agriculture Secretary Ann
M. Veneman today named two counties in California as eligible for
USDA emergency farm loans due to losses caused by drought that
occurred earlier this year.
"California has experienced severe drought conditions this
year," said Veneman. "This assistance will help California
farmers recover from these natural disaster losses."
Lassen County was named as a primary disaster area on
November 29, 2001. Also eligible because it is contiguous, is
Plumas County.
This designation makes all qualified farm operators in
primary and contiguous disaster counties eligible for low-interest
EM loans from the Farm Service Agency (FSA), provided eligibility
requirements are met. Farmers in eligible counties have eight
months from the date of this declaration to apply for the loans
to help cover part of their actual losses. FSA will consider each
loan application on its own merits, taking into account the extent
of losses, security available, and repayment ability.
FSA has a variety of programs available, in addition to the
emergency loan program, to help eligible farmers recover from
adversity. Interested farmers may contact their local FSA offices
for further information on eligibility requirements and
application procedures. Additional information is also available
online at:
http://www.fsa.usda.gov/pas/disaster/assistance1.htm
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NOTE: FSA news releases and media advisories are available on the
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