Washington, DC – Senator Michael Bennet announced today that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated Garfield County, Moffat County, and Rio Blanco County as contiguous disaster areas due to drought. The designation makes farm operators in these counties eligible to be considered for federal assistance, including Farm Service Agency (FSA) emergency loans.
“Producers on Colorado’s western slope have faced drought conditions that are damaging their goods and hurting local economies,” Bennet said. “These disaster designations will allow farmers and ranchers to access critical assistance to help them deal with any losses to crops or livestock.”
Producers in counties designated as primary or contiguous disaster areas are eligible to be considered for FSA emergency loans. Farmers in eligible counties have eight months from the date of the disaster declaration to apply for assistance. Local FSA offices can provide affected farmers and ranchers with additional information.
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