Financial drought relief is now available to farmers and ranchers conducting family-sized farming operations, and small, non-farming businesses, agricultural cooperatives, and most private non-profit organizations conducting business with growers. The USDA is offering farm loans of up to $500,000 for both physical and crop production losses as a direct result of the drought disaster.
“This was unique in that it included small family farms affected by the drought,” Agriculture Commissioner Anastasia Allen said. “But there was also a secondary part of it for small business association loans to help the peripheral secondary businesses: the applicators, the custom harvesters, the people that aren’t directly the owners of family farms. That was the new component of it.”
Farmers and ranchers who conduct family-sized farming operations and would like to apply for a USDA Emergency Farm Loans, contact the Colusa County Farm Service Agency at (530) 458-5131 or visit fsa.usda.gov/programs-and-services/farm-loan-programs/index. The U.S. Small Business Administration is offering the economic injury disaster loans for small, non-farm businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, and most private non-profit organizations of any size. Small businesses include those that conduct business directly with growers. For details on the SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans, call (800) 659-2955 or visit www.sba.gov/disaster.