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Disaster Assistance
Emergency Loan Programs for Disasters in 2007
USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA) provides emergency loans to help producers recover from production and physical losses due to drought, flooding, other natural disasters, or quarantine. Emergency loan funds may be used to: restore or replace essential property; pay all or part of production costs associated with the disaster year; pay essential family living expenses; reorganize the farming operation; and refinance certain debts. Producers can borrow up to 100 percent of actual production or physical losses, to a maximum amount of $500,000. The current annual interest rate for emergency loans is 3.75 percent. Further information on the emergency loan program is available from local USDA Service Centers.
Visit the New Jersey Farm Service Agency web site.
Emergency Conservation Program
USDA Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) provides emergency funding and technical assistance for farmers and ranchers to rehabilitate farmland damaged by natural disasters and for carrying out emergency water conservation measures in periods of severe drought. Congress appropriates funding for ECP. Subject to availability of funds, ECP program participants receive cost-share assistance of up to 75 percent of the cost to implement approved emergency conservation practices, as determined by county FSA committees.
Visit the FSA program page for more information.
Crop Insurance Information
Buying a crop insurance policy is one risk management option. Producers should always carefully consider how a policy will work in conjunction with their other risk management strategies to insure the best possible outcome each crop year. The USDA sponsored crop insurance program is a public/private partnership that provides protection nationally for over 100 crops, including limited protection plans for ag animal production. Crop insurance has changed drastically, and new and updated policies are much different than the policies available several years ago. These policies offer better protection and are tailored to specific needs of the policyholder. The federal government now offers higher premium subsidies, making crop insurance more affordable.
The Garden State Crop Insurance Education Initiative: http://salem.rutgers.edu/cropinsurance/
Risk Management Agency, USDA: www.rma.usda.gov
Coping with Disasters
The emotional impact of a disaster can have a powerful effect on the mental health of individuals of all ages. If you notice that a loved one, friend or co-worker's behavior has substantially changed, reach out and ask them how they are doing. Please refer to the NJ Dept. of Human Services, Division of Mental Health website for more information: www.disastermentalhealthnj.com
If you or someone you know is having a strong emotional reaction that does not subside, trained counselors are available at toll-free 877-294-HELP, to discuss your/their thoughts and feelings.
