USDA designates 18 Iowa counties as primary natural disaster areas

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue designated 18 Iowa counties as primary natural disaster areas, enabling producers who suffered losses because of the recent derecho, that occurred on Aug. 10, to be eligible for emergency loans.

Additionally, Perdue, in a stop at Radcliffe, Iowa, on Sept. 3, that included visiting with members of the Iowa Corn Growers Association, reminded producers about the suite of disaster assistance programs available through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, including program flexibilities and a special signup through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program.

Iowa Corn Growers Association spoke directly with Perdue about assisting Iowa’s corn farmers due to the devastating drought and derecho that has impacted a majority of the state. ICGA presented several ideas for immediate financial relief to Perdue that came forward from ICGA farmer members. Also in attendance were U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig, as the officials attended a conservation field day sponsored by Iowa Corn. Officials also surveyed the drought and derecho crop damage throughout the day while in Iowa.

“Iowa corn farmers wish they didn’t have to request government assistance as they’d rather have a crop to harvest and market access,” said ICGA President and farmer from Randolph Carl Jardon. “Unfortunately, that is not our reality this year with natural disasters, trade disputes, and a global pandemic on top of waiting to hear the outcome of President Trump’s commitment to speaking with (Andrew) Wheeler about the refinery waivers. Iowa’s farmers need immediate aid so they can begin to rebuild for next year.

Wheeler is the Environmental Protection Agency administrator.

Emergency loans

According to the USDA, natural disaster designations allow the Farm Service Agency to extend much-needed emergency credit to producers recovering from natural disasters. Emergency loans can be used to meet various recovery needs, including the replacement of essential items such as equipment or livestock, reorganization of a farming operation, or the refinancing of certain debts.

Iowa counties—primary designation

Producers who lived in counties that included were Benton, Boone, Cedar, Clinton, Dallas, Guthrie, Hamilton, Hardin, Jasper, Johnson, Jones, Linn, Marshall, Polk, Poweshiek, Scott, Story and and Tama may be eligible to apply for emergency loans.

Iowa and Illinois—contiguous designation

Producers in the contiguous counties listed below are also eligible to apply for emergency loans: Iowa—Adair, Audubon, Black Hawk, Buchanan, Butler, Carroll, Cass, Delaware, Dubuque, Franklin, Greene, Grundy, Iowa, Jackson, Keokuk, Louisa, Madison, Mahaska, Marion, Muscatine, Warren, Washington, Webster and Wright. In Illinois—Carroll, Rock Island and Whiteside.

The deadline to apply for these emergency loans is May 3, 2021.

FSA will review the loans based on the extent of losses, security available, and repayment ability.

Flexibilities on compliance

To assist producers in Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and other states impacted by the derecho, FSA has streamlined the environmental compliance review process for the Emergency Conservation Program, Emergency Forest Restoration Program, Emergency Loan Program, Farm Storage Facility Program, and Tree Assistance Program. Implementation of these programs has been determined to have potentially low impact to protected resources.

These program flexibilities are meant to address work required to restore existing crops, fields, orchards, barns, storage facilities, fences, equipment, and general debris removal. Work required on previously undisturbed ground, new land clearing, or work that would impact any water body, wetland, riparian buffer, or wetland would not be covered by the streamlined environmental review process.

EQIP enrollment

Additionally, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service is making available $4 million in recovery assistance through a special EQIP signup in parts of Iowa impacted by the derecho. Applications will be accepted through Oct. 2. Eligible applicants will receive higher than normal EQIP practice payments rates during this signup.

These EQIP funds can be used for: Seeding cover crops on impacted fields; replacing roofs, covers, or roof runoff structures previously funded through NRCS; and Replacing damaged high tunnel systems previously funded by NRCS.

More information

In addition to emergency loans and EQIP, other available programs include the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish ProgramEmergency Conservation Program, Livestock Forage Disaster Program, Livestock Indemnity Program, and Operating and Farm Ownership Loans. These programs and other available recovery assistance do not require a disaster designation.

Producers and landowners can use the online Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool, answering five questions to identify USDA programs that will help meet disaster recovery needs.

For more information on all USDA disaster assistance programs, visit farmers.gov/recover, or contact your local USDA Service Center, which can be found at farmers.gov/service-center-locator.