Disaster Grants And Loans Available For Farmers And Ranchers
Release Date: May 4, 2009
Release Number: 1829-049
» More Information on North Dakota Severe Storms and Flooding
BISMARCK, N.D. -- Among the many disaster assistance programs for people affected by spring flooding, there are several that can help farmers and ranchers.
Assistance could come in the form of grants or low-interest loans, and could come from state or federal resources.
Here is a list of some of those programs:
U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA):
- Farmers and ranchers could be eligible for low-interest disaster loans for a residence (even if it is located on a farm or ranch) and, in some cases, for the privately owned road leading to the primary residence.
- Economic Injury Disaster Loans could be available to help small agricultural cooperatives (packers and shippers, etc.) and most private, non-profit organizations of all sizes to meet financial obligations that cannot be met as a direct result of the disaster.
- Low-cost disaster loans could be available for non-agricultural businesses run from the farm or ranch, as long as their financial records are separate from the agricultural enterprise.
- For more information, call 1-800-659-2955. Hearing-impaired individuals may call 1-800-877-8339. Or go online at www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance.
Disaster Unemployment Assistance:
- Farm and ranch hands who lost work because of the flooding and who do not qualify for regular state unemployment could receive Disaster Unemployment Assistance payments for up to 26 weeks through Job Service North Dakota.
- The deadline for filing is May 13 in the following counties: Adams, Barnes, Billings, Burleigh, Cass, Dickey, Emmons, Foster, Griggs, Grand forks, Hettinger, Kidder, LaMoure, Logan, McIntosh, Mercer, Morton, Nelson, Ransom, Richland, Sargent, Steele, Stutsman, Towner, Traill, and Williams.
- The deadline for filing is May 28 for the following counties: Grant, McHenry, Oliver, Pierce, Stark, Walsh and Ward, and the Spirit Lake and Standing Rock Indian Reservations.
- Applicants can file on line at www.jobsnd.com, or by calling 701-328-1630, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CDT Monday through Friday.
Federal Emergency Management Agency:
- Farmers and ranchers and others affected by the flooding could be eligible for Individual Assistance - a wide range of programs for home repair, temporary disaster housing, replacement grants for serious disaster-related needs and expenses not covered by insurance or assistance programs.
- Homeowners of flood-damaged wells and septic systems may receive funds to pump a septic tank, perform required repairs or even replace them if the damage is permanent. Homeowners with private wells that were left useless may be eligible for assistance if the well is their sole source of water.
- Grants could be available for repair or replacement of a sole-access driveway owned by an individual.
- Register by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 800-462-7585 from 6 a.m. to midnight (CDT), seven days a week, or online anytime at www.DisasterAssistance.gov.
Disaster assistance is available in many forms through many agencies of the US Department of Agriculture, including:
- Through the Farm Service Agency (FSA):
- The Emergency Conservation Program, which provides emergency funding and technical assistance for farmers and ranchers to rehabilitate farmland damaged by natural disasters;
- The Livestock Indemnity Program, which compensates livestock producers for deaths in excess of normal mortality due to adverse weather;
- Low-interest emergency loans for eligible farm operators, who may borrow up to 100 percent of actual production or physical losses up to $500,000. Operators who do not qualify for emergency loans may be eligible for an FSA operating loan.
- USDA has extended until May 15 the emergency use of Conservation Reserve Program land for North Dakota livestock producers facing losses from continued flooding. This enables some ranchers to place or move livestock from flooded land onto dry grazing land.
- For more information, call the FSA at 701-239-5224.
- Through the National Resource Conservation Service (NRCS):
- The Emergency Watershed Protection Program, which can provide 75 percent of the construction cost of emergency measures taken to relieve imminent hazards to life and property caused by floods, fires, windstorms, and other natural occurrences. All projects must be sponsored by a city, county, general improvement district, or conservation district, and benefit more than one person;
- The Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) which recently announced that $2 million is now available to help pay for repairs or replacement of fences, dams, watering tanks and certain other structures originally funded by the EQIP program and damaged in recent floods.
- For more information, call the NRCS at 701-530-2000.
- Through Rural Development:
- USDA Rural Development has grant and loan funds available to rural communities to provide housing and shelter, public safety, health care and community facilities and business recovery assistance.
- Their programs include grants and/or low-interest loans for people 62 and older on fixed incomes for home repair and some furnishings.
- For more information, call Rural Development at 701-530-2054.
North Dakota Agencies:
- The Bank of North Dakota offers low-interest disaster loans for farmers and ranchers who experienced extraordinary losses as a result of recent weather events. Available through local community financial institutions, the loans are intended to restructure and refinance farm debt.
- Contact the local financial institution.
- Experts from the State Department of Agriculture Mediation Service (AMS) provide confidential assistance and advice regarding agricultural loans, wetlands issues, compliance with farm programs, including conservation programs; rural water, grazing and pesticide issues, crop insurance and rural housing.
- The AMS toll-free hotline is 1-800-642-4752.
- The state also administers a $750,000 USDA grant program to help provide livestock feed to individual producers.
For more information on these and other assistance programs, advice on which programs could help the most, assistance in registering with FEMA, and other help, visit the nearest Disaster Recovery Center. Check your local newspaper or go to www.fema.gov to find the nearest location.
FEMA leads and supports the nation in a risk-based, comprehensive emergency management system of preparedness, protection, response, recovery, and mitigation, to reduce the loss of life and property and protect the nation from all hazards including natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other man-made disasters.
Last Modified: Monday, 04-May-2009 14:53:26