South Carolina Farm Bureau Federation President David Winkles is encouraged by the US Secretary of Agriculture’s farm disaster declaration in South Carolina.
Dillon County is considered part of the disaster area.
“Most of the farmers I’ve talked with in recent weeks need some type of disaster relief from the torrential rains we experienced this summer,” said Winkles.
The relief comes in the form of low cost emergency loans that will help carry farmers over to the next planting season. Farm Bureau members worked through South Carolina Farm Service Agency Director Harry Ott, the Governor’s office, and others to encourage reviews of South Carolina’s affected farms that led to the disaster declaration today.
US Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack notified SC Governor Nikki Haley Wednesday  that 36 counties warrant a Secretarial disaster designation. Secretary Vilsack said, “Those counties are primary natural disaster areas due to losses caused by excessive rain that occurred from March 1, 2013, and continuing.”
A Secretarial disaster designation makes farm operators in primary counties and those counties contiguous to such primary counties eligible to be considered for certain assistance from FSA provided eligibility requirements are met. Assistance includes FSA emergency loans.
Farmers in eligible counties have 8 months from the date of a Secretarial disaster declaration to apply for emergency loans. FSA considers each emergency loan application on its own merits, taking into account the extent of production losses on the farm, and the security and repayment ability of the operator.
Local FSA offices can provide affected farmers with further information.