Four area counties named primary natural disaster areas, Whitfield farmers also may be eligible for emergency credit

Published 11:00 am Tuesday, November 7, 2023

For the first time in four years, Georgia has been impacted by extreme drought conditions, negatively impacting our state’s agricultural industry. Last week, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack issued a natural disaster declaration for four Georgia counties following a sustained period of drought.

Impacted counties include Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade and Walker, which have sustained eight or more weeks of severe, extreme or exceptional drought conditions. This declaration allows USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) to extend essential emergency credit to Georgia farmers affected by these weather events.

“As a seventh generation farmer, I know firsthand the impact drought conditions can have on our agriculture industry, especially those with dryland operations. The lack of moisture in the soil impacts every aspect of an agricultural operation, from delaying winter grains to forcing farmers to purchase hay to feed their cattle,” said Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper. “We’re grateful to Secretary Vilsack for recognizing the importance of providing essential assistance to our Northwest Georgia farmers.”

USDA FSA loans can be used to meet various recovery requirements, including replacing essential items such as farm equipment or livestock, reorganizing a farming operation, or refinancing specific loans. FSA reviews all loans based on the extent of losses, security available and repayment ability, and Georgia farmers and producers in the counties below are eligible to apply. The application deadline is June 30, 2024.

• Primary counties eligible: Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, Walker.

• Contiguous counties also eligible: Floyd, Gordon, Whitfield.

More USDA resources

On farmers.gov, the Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool, Disaster Assistance-at-a-Glance fact sheet and Loan Assistance Tool can help you determine program or loan options. To file a Notice of Loss or to ask questions about available programs, contact your local USDA service center.