Louisiana Farmers and Ranchers Have Options for Assistance

BATON ROUGE, La. – Farmers and ranchers affected by the August flooding could be eligible for assistance from several agencies.

Louisiana emergency management officials and the Federal Emergency Management Agency can assist survivors who are farmers and ranchers with some immediate personal needs.

The U.S. Small Business Administration offers low-interest loans to farmers and ranchers for rebuilding or repairing their primary homes and replacing lost or damaged personal property. Call the SBA at 916-764-9918.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency has programs that are tailored to help with recovery. Visit the department’s website at: www.fsa.usda.gov.                                       

The Non-Insured Crop Disaster Assistance Program provides financial assistance for non-insurable crops when low yields, loss of inventory or disrupted planting occur because of natural disasters.

The Livestock Indemnity Program provides payments for livestock death losses in excess of normal mortality caused by the disaster.

The Tree Assistance Program helps nursery tree growers and orchardists.

The Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program provides relief for feed losses and/or water shortages because of disaster.

The Emergency Conservation Program provides funding to rehabilitate land severely damaged by a natural disaster.

Randolph Johnson, Jr., Louisiana Assistant State Conservationist for the USDA (foreground), shows visiting Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development, Jay Williams, dead soybeans pods hanging from the unharvested crops of farmer Ricky Roussel in Lutcher, La. Roussel estimates 850 of his 1,000 acres of soybean crops were lost to the 2016 historic flooding in Louisiana. (Photo by J.T. Blatty/FEMA) Download Original