USDA declares New York counties "disaster areas" following spring frost

Posted by IronPlanet on Jun 11, 2012 2:06:00 AM

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has declared certain counties in New York an "agricultural disaster" area following a string of frost, freezes and unseasonably warm weather since the beginning of March.

Spring in the New York area brought periods of extreme warmth and cold that may have taken a toll on crops. While the warm weather helped some crops mature faster than usual, subsequent frosts may have killed some of the plants in these areas. Now that the federal government has declared the counties disaster areas, farmers in the counties will be able to apply for low-interest loans, collect on their crop insurance and recoup losses through the federal government.

Isabel Prescott, owner of Riverview Orchards in Clifton Park, N.Y., told the Schenectady Daily Gazette the federal disaster loans would be a major help. Prescott says she lost 75 percent of her apple orchards due to frost.

"I think it is really important because we have a really narrow margin in our gross versus net income, because that's the way farming is," Prescott told the news source.

In addition to the counties in New York, areas in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont and Pennsylvania will also be eligible for federal assistance, due to their close proximity to the disaster area. The loans are provided by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

"These counties are eligible because they are contiguous to one or more primary counties in New York. The Small Business Administration recognizes that disasters do not usually stop at county or state lines. For that reason, counties adjacent to primary counties named in the declaration are included," said Frank Skaggs, director of SBA's Field Operations Center East in Atlanta.

Farmers who have received federal assistance may want to re-invest that money into their business. The online auction site IronPlanet offers an easy way for farmers to purchase tractors, sprayers and other agricultural equipment, often at a more affordable price than buying new.

Topics: Industry Headlines