48 Ohio counties join growing list of those eligible for farm aid

WASHINGTON – The USDA named 48 counties in Ohio eligible for USDA emergency farm loans due to losses caused by severe drought and high temperatures last year.

Ashland, Ashtabula, Brown, Carroll, Columbiana, Cuyahoga, Fulton, Geauga, Hancock, Holmes, Knox, Lake, Lucas, Mahoning, Medina, Sandusky, Seneca, Stark, Tuscarawas, Wayne, Wood and Wyandot counties were named as primary disaster areas Feb. 7, 2002.

Also eligible, because they are contiguous, are Adams, Allen, Clermont, Clinton, Coshocton, Crawford, Delaware, Erie, Guernsey, Hardin, Harrison, Henry, Highland, Huron, Jefferson, Licking, Lorain, Marion, Morrow, Ottawa, Portage, Putnam, Richland, Summit, Trumbull and Williams counties.

This designation makes all qualified farm operators in primary and contiguous disaster counties eligible for low-interest loans from the Farm Service Agency, provided eligibility requirements are met. Farmers in eligible counties have eight months from the date of this declaration to apply for the loans to help cover part of their actual losses.

Interested farmers may contact their local FSA offices for further information on eligibility requirements and application procedures.