“Agriculture remains a bright spot in our nation’s economy and it is increasingly important that USDA has the tools to act quickly and deliver assistance to farmers and ranchers when they need it most,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack during a recently announced “package of program improvements that will deliver faster and more flexible assistance to farmers and ranchers devastated by natural disasters.”

This package has three main components, the first being a simplified process for secretarial disaster designations with reduced processing time for most counties affected by disasters. The second is a significantly reduced interest rate for emergency loans. Finally, a payment reduction on Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) lands qualified for emergency haying and grazing in 2012 completed the package.

Vilsack continued, “by amending the secretarial disaster designation, we’re creating a more efficient and effective process. And by delivering lower interest rates on emergency loans and providing greater flexibility for haying and grazing on CRP lands, we’re keeping more farmers in business and supporting our rural American communities through difficult times. With these improvements, we’re also telling American producers that USDA stands with you and your communities when severe weather and natural disasters threaten to disrupt your livelihood.”

The NWTN Today report concluded, “USDA encourages all farmers and ranchers to contact their crop insurance companies and local USDA Farm Service Agency Service Centers, as applicable, to report damages to crops or livestock loss. In addition, USDA reminds livestock producers to keep thorough records of losses, including additional expenses for such things as food purchased due to lost supplies.”

For more information on federal crop insurance, click here.

This article posted July 18, 2012.