Washington, D.C. — U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge (D-Lillington) today encouraged local farmers who suffered losses from the drought in 2007 to apply for direct assistance payments under the Crop Disaster Program.
“Although the damage from the drought is already done, this assistance should help farmers to move forward with their planting decisions for 2008 and to continue to provide a safe, abundant and affordable food supply for American families,” said Etheridge. “I encourage all farmers who have suffered losses to contact their local Farm Service Agency office to find out if they are eligible.”
Congress passed, and the President signed, legislation in December 2007 that would make farmers affected by the drought eligible for aid. Etheridge, a senior member of the Agriculture Committee, led the effort in Congress to provide direct assistance to farmers.
Congress had previously approved agriculture disaster assistance in May 2007, but the legislation set a planting deadline of February 28, 2007. The legislation passed in December extended the planting deadline to December 31, 2007.
To be eligible, producers must be in a county that was declared a disaster area by the President or U.S. Secretary of Agriculture between January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2007, or be in a contiguous county. Producers must have purchased crop insurance coverage or coverage under the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program for the year of the loss, and must have suffered a loss of 35 percent or more.
Producers who suffered losses in multiple years between 2005 and 2007 must choose only one year to apply for benefits. If farmers have already received a payment for a previous year and have subsequently suffered greater loss, they may be eligible to receive a payment for the difference.
Farmers can apply at their local Farm Service Agency service center. Farmers with questions can call their local FSA office or visit disaster.fsa.usda.gov.
The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services estimated in December 2007 that the drought has cost North Carolina’s economy $573 million dollars. The U.S.D.A. designated 85 counties in North Carolina as primary disaster areas, including all counties in the Second Congressional District.