Farms in several local counties qualify for federal disaster relief

“This has been a tough year”, McKinney said Wednesday after appearing at a Purdue University agriculture forum at the Indiana State Fair.

Sherrod Brown (D-OH) today announced that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated Butler, Darke, Defiance, Hamilton, Mercer, Paulding, Preble and Van Wert Counties as natural disaster areas due to excessive rain and flooding in the region in 2015. “President Obama and I are committed to ensuring that agriculture remains a bright spot in our nation’s economy by sustaining the successes of America’s farmers and rural communities through these hard times”. Those in Illinois, Kentucky, Ohio and Michigan counties that are contiguous to disaster areas are also eligible, the Associated Press reports. “We’re also telling Indiana producers that USDA stands with you and your communities when severe weather and natural disasters threaten to disrupt your livelihood”.

Under the declaration, farmers can apply for low-interest loans to make up for some of their losses.

In Johnson County, officials estimate a 30 percent loss of soybeans, said Brian Catt, executive director for the Farm Service Agency in Johnson County.

The declaration means federal emergency loan assistance for farmers.

The designation includes all of the counties in The Pantagraph’s circulation area, including McLean, DeWitt, Ford, Iroquois, LaSalle, Livingston, Logan, Piatt, Tazewell and Woodford. Loan applications are considered on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the extent of losses, security available and the applicant’s ability to repay.