USDA Designates Five Michigan Counties as Primary Natural Disaster Areas

Contact: FPAC.BC.Press@usda.gov

Emergency Support to Producers in Surrounding Counties Also Available 

WASHINGTON, Dec. 3, 2020 — Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue designated five Michigan counties as primary natural disaster areas. Producers in who suffered losses caused by recent natural disasters may be eligible for U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) emergency loans. 

These natural disaster designations allow 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. 

Frost and Freeze

Producers in Antrim, Grand Traverse and Leelanau counties who suffered losses caused by frost and freeze that occurred May 5 through May 14, 2020, may be eligible for emergency loans. 

Producers in the contiguous Michigan counties of Benzie, Charlevoix, Crawford, Kalkaska, Manistee, Missaukee, Otsego and Wexford are also eligible to apply for emergency loans. 

Drought

Producers in Antrim, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Leelanau and Otsego counties who suffered losses caused by drought that occurred June 29 through Sept. 26, 2020, may be eligible for emergency loans.

Producers in the contiguous Michigan counties of Benzie, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Crawford, Manistee, Missaukee, Montmorency, Oscoda, Roscommon and Wexford are also eligible to apply for emergency loans. 

The deadline to apply for emergency loans under this designation is July 26, 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.