Northern Wisconsin counties among those designated as Primary Natural Disaster Areas
On Nov. 28, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack designated 31 counties in Wisconsin as primary natural disaster areas in two separate designations due to several weather conditions that occurred during 2012.
The first of two Secretarial Disaster Designations is for counties that suffered losses due to unseasonably warm weather followed by frost and freezes that occurred March 1 to June 11, 2012. Among the counties announced in this designation are Florence, Forest, Langlade and Lincoln.
Other counties in this designation are Bayfield, Brown, Calumet, Chippewa, Columbia, Dane, Dodge, Fond du Lac, Jackson, Juneau, Kenosha, LaCrosse, Marathon, Marinette, Milwaukee, Monroe, Oconto, Outagamie, Pierce, Polk, Racine, Shawano, Trempealeau, Walworth, Washington and Waupaca.
Producers in counties that are contiguous to those designated as primary natural disaster areas also qualify for emergency loans. Oneida County is among those listed. Other qualifying counties are Adams, Ashland, Barron, Buffalo, Burnett, Clark, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Green, Green Lake, Iowa, Jefferson, Kewaunee, Manitowoc, Marquette and Menominee.
Under the second Secretarial Disaster Designation announced on Nov. 28, Manitowoc County has been named a primary natural disaster area due to drought that occurred May 7 to Aug. 8, 2012.
Producers in the following counties also qualify for emergency loans because their counties are contiguous to Manitowoc County under this second designation: Brown, Calumet, Kewaunee and Sheboygan.
“The counties announced in the Secretarial Disaster Designation have the opportunity to access low interest emergency loans through the Farm Service Agency (FSA). These loans are available to producers who have suffered qualifying damages or losses from the current drought,” said Matthew Peplinski, OFFV FSA County Executive Director. “The deadline to file for a disaster loan is July 29, 2013.”
Actual loss loans for producers’ losses will be based on the disaster year production compared to the previous three year production history. The actual loss loans for physical damages to property destroyed or damaged will be based upon the allowable cost associated with repairing or replacing the property destroyed or damaged. In addition, the damaged or destroyed property must be essential to the continuation of the operation. Interest rates for actual loss loans that do not exceed $500,000 will be 2.125 percent.
Producers who feel they have sustained a qualifying loss and are interested in more information may contact their local county FSA office.
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