Helping Farmers Affected by Drought

Farmers in Lucas County could be eligible for drought-related disaster assistance under an emergency designation that was issued by U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.
Nine Ohio counties were added to the disaster list, including Defiance, Fulton and Henry. Benefits are available for 11 contiguous counties, which include Lucas, Wood and Williams.

Farm operators in the primary and contiguous counties are eligible to be considered for certain assistance from the Farm Service Agency (FSA), provided eligibility requirements are met.

The assistance includes FSA emergency loans. Farmers have eight months from the date of the declaration (August 15) to apply for emergency loan assistance.

FSA will consider each emergency loan application on its own merits, taking into account the extent of production losses, security available, and repayment ability.