USDA Designates Three Michigan Counties as Primary Natural Disaster Areas

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

WASHINGTON, Sept. 8, 2020 — Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue designated three Michigan counties as primary natural disaster areas. Producers in Berrien, Cass and Ottawa counties who suffered losses caused by a freeze that occurred from April 14 through May 9, 2020, 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. 

Producers in the contiguous counties listed below are also eligible to apply for emergency loans:

• Michigan: Allegan, Kalamazoo, Kent, Muskegon, St. Joseph and Van Buren
• Indiana: Elkhart, LaPorte and St. Joseph 

The deadline to apply for these emergency loans is April 28, 2021. 

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.