RICHMOND—Governor Timothy M. Kaine announced today that the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture has designated Amelia, Amherst, Bedford, Campbell, Dinwiddie, Halifax, Louisa, Nelson, Nottoway, Pittsylvania and Prince Edward counties primary natural disaster areas because of reductions in farm production caused by drought and excessive heat that occurred this calendar year.



These disaster designations make farmers eligible for low-interest loans and any supplemental relief that might be provided by Congress in the future.



“The low-interest loans farmers in these counties are now eligible to apply for could provide much needed assistance,” Governor Kaine said. “We anticipate that the USDA will soon respond to the many additional requests for disaster designation.”



Farmers in the independent cities of Bedford, Danville, Lynchburg and Petersburg as well as in these adjacent counties have received contiguous disaster status and also may be eligible for federal assistance:



Albemarle
Charlotte
Greensville
Powhatan

Appomattox
Chesterfield
Hanover
Prince George

Augusta
Cumberland
Henry
Roanoke

Botetourt
Fluvanna
Lunenburg
Rockbridge

Brunswick
Franklin
Mecklenburg
Spotsylvania

Buckingham
Goochland
Orange
Sussex






Disaster declarations make farm operators in 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. This assistance includes FSA emergency loans and the Supplemental Revenue Assistance Program (SURE) which was approved as part of the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008. 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.



Requests for primary federal drought disaster designations are currently pending for these 18 counties:



Albemarle
Fluvanna
Henry
Rockbridge

Buckingham
Franklin
Isle of Wight
Scott

Brunswick
Goochland
Lunenburg
Surry

Caroline
Greene
Mecklenburg


Charlotte
Hanover
Powhatan

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