Stephens County Ag Producers Eligible for Drought Assistance

Agricultural producers in Stephens, Franklin and surrounding counties are now eligible for Farm Service Agency, or FSA, emergency loans, allowing producers to borrow up to 100 percent of actual production or physical losses incurred as a result of recent drought conditions, up to a maximum amount of $500,000. 

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, or USDA, these loans are intended to assist producers in meeting their various recovery needs, including the payment of essential family living expenses, reorganization of a farming operation, or to refinance certain debts. 

According to FSA loan documentation, each emergency loan application is considered “on its own merits, considering the extent of losses, security available, and repayment ability.”

 On March 25, the USDA designated 17 Georgia counties primary natural disaster areas due to severe, extreme or execptional drought conditions, as defined and designated by the U. S. Drought Monitor. Although Stephens County was not included in the list of 17 primary counties, emergency loan policies also allow residents of counties contiguous to the primary counties to take advantage of the emergency loans. 

Producers ineligible counties will have until November 25 of this year to apply for FSA emergency assistance. 

Primary counties identified in the USDA disaster declaration include Habersham, Rabun, Towns, Union, White, Bartow, Chattooga, Cherokee, Dawson, Fannin, Floyd, Gilmer, Gordon, Lumpkin, Murray, Pickens and Whitfield.

Residents in the contiguous counties of Stephens, Franklin, Banks, Hart, Elbert, Catoosa, Cobb, Forsyth, Fulton, Hall, Paulding, Polk, Walker, Columbia, Lincoln, Dade, Carroll and Haralson may also apply for the emergency loans.

For more information about FSA’s full suite of disaster recovery options, producers can visit farmers.gov, where the Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool, Disaster Assistance-at-a-Glance fact sheet, and Loan Assistance Tool can help determine program or loan options. Producers can also contact a local USDA Service Center to file a Notice of Loss and learn more about programs fitting their operational needs.