Relief Fund Available For Parched Ag Lands

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All four Hawaii counties have been designated as agricultural disaster areas due to losses caused by this year’s drought.

Thanks to the disaster designation declared July 19 by U.S. Department of Agriculture secretary Thomas Vilsack, the classification makes farm operators and producers in both primary and contiguous counties eligible to be considered for Farm Service Agency emergency loans and the Supplemental Revenue Assistance Program. The Farm Service Agency will consider each loan on its own merit by taking into account the extent of losses, security available and repayment ability.

Farmers in eligible counties have eight months from the date of the declaration to apply for emergency loan assistance. For more about these federal programs, contact the USDA Farm Service Agency - Oahu at 441-2704.