USDA Designates 16 North Dakota Counties as Primary Natural Disaster Areas

Emergency Support to Producers in Surrounding Counties/Border States Also Available

WASHINGTON, March 4, 2020 — Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue designated 16 North Dakota counties as primary natural disaster areas. Producers who suffered losses caused by five separate disaster events 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 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, Roulette, 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.

The deadline to apply for these emergency loans is Oct. 28, 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.