HOMEPAGE > NEWSROOM

Press Release

For Immediate Release
July 17, 2008
Contact: Sean C. Bonyun
(202) 225-3761

Upton Hails Disaster Declaration to Help Local Farmers
Department of Agriculture to provide disaster relief for Cass & St. Joseph County farmers who suffered damage from torrential rainfall and flash flooding in late May

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Fred Upton (R-St. Joseph) applauded today’s disaster declaration by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer for farmers in Cass and St. Joseph Counties for damages resulting from severe storms, torrential rainfall and flash flooding on May 30th.  The state of Indiana suffered the brunt of the storm, but regions in Cass and St. Joseph counties were also affected. 

“Today’s announcement provides a lifeline to many of our local family farms,” said Upton.  “Although Indiana took a direct hit from the storms on May 30th, a couple of our counties suffered a glancing blow from the storm system, and I am pleased that our local farmers are eligible for relief.  Our family farms in southwest Michigan play such an important role to our daily lives, and it is imperative that a helping hand is available when natural disasters strike.”

The designation allows farm operators in Cass and St. Joseph counties to be eligible for low-interest emergency loans from the Farm Service Agency (FSA).  FSA will consider each application on its own merit by taking into account the extent of losses, security available and repayment ability.
                                               
The U.S. Department of Agriculture declared 87 counties in Indiana qualified for primary and contiguous disaster relief for the losses caused by severe storms, tornadoes, torrential rainfall, flooding and flash flooding on May 30th.  Including Cass and St. Joseph counties in Michigan, counties in Illinois, Ohio and Kentucky were also declared contiguous disaster areas.

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