Governor announces federal disaster designations for Carroll & Patrick

Governor Timothy M. Kaine announced today that the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture has designated Carroll and Patrick Counties primary natural disaster areas due to reductions in farm production caused by frost, freeze, and low temperatures that occurred from April 6 through April 10, 2007. This disaster designation makes farmers eligible for low-interest loans and any supplemental relief that may be provided by Congress. 

Farmers in several adjacent localities also have received contiguous disaster status and also may be eligible for federal assistance: the counties of Floyd, Grayson, Pulaski, Franklin, Henry, and Wythe, in addition to the independent city of Galax.

?This USDA drought designation will allow individuals in these Virginia localities to consider applying for some much-needed assistance,? said Governor Kaine. ?Meanwhile, we continue to work with several other localities impacted by drought, and we expect the federal government will act on these requests in coming weeks.?

Requests for federal drought disaster designations currently are pending for ten localities: the counties of Bland, Lee, Washington, Brunswick, Russell, Wise, Caroline, Scott, Culpeper, and Smyth.

Disaster declarations make farm operators in both primary and contiguous areas eligible to be considered for low-interest emergency loans from the Farm Service Agency (FSA) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, provided they meet certain eligibility requirements. FSA will consider each application on its own merits by taking into account the extent of the losses, security available, and repayment ability. Local FSA offices can provide affected farmers with additional information.