Disaster recovery funds available in Bourbon County

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Bourbon County residents could get some financial assistance from the United States Department of Agriculture through a disaster recovery program.

The Disaster Set-Aside program is available to Bourbon County residents who have suffered losses as a result of a natural disaster and cannot pay all expenses such as debts to other creditors and Farm Service Agency farm loan payments, according to the USDA.

Through the program residents may be eligible to delay any or all FSA farm loan payments due this year or next year, however not both years. According to the USDA, the payment will be moved to the end of the loan and will then be paid on or before the final due date. Loans with less than two years remaining are not eligible. DSA will only be approved if all farm loan payments will be up-to-date after the payments are set aside.

To apply for DSA, letter signed by all parties liable for the debt, must be sent to the Crawford County FSA, 207 S. Summit, Girard, KS 66743, requesting DSA. The letter must also include actual production, income and expense records for the last three years. FSA might request additional information later if it is needed to make an eligibility decision. Complete applications must be submitted to FSA before the farm loan account becomes 90 days past due and prior to the end of the disaster designation.

The current disaster designations in the area include: excessive rain, flooding, wind, and hail (code No. S2900) which was declared on Aug. 29, 2009, with the final date to apply set for April 29, 2010; severe storms and flooding (code No. M1860) which was declared on Sept. 30, 2009, with the final date to apply set for June 1, 2010; severe winter storms, and snowstorms (code No. M1885) which was declared on March 9, 2010, with the final date to apply set for Nov. 9, 2010; frost, excessive rain and flooding (code No. S2983) which was declared on March 18, 2010, with the final date to apply set for Nov. 18, 2010.

For more information contact the Crawford County FSA at (620) 724-6227.

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