CDA: Farm operations in 39 Colorado counties may be eligible for FSA emergency loans as drought recovery continues
Broomfield, Colo. – As more than half of all Colorado counties continue to experience repercussions of a crippling drought spanning nearly two years, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue designated 28 Colorado counties as primary natural disaster areas on May 30, 2019.
A Secretarial disaster designation enables farm operators in primary counties and contiguous counties to be eligible for assistance from the Farm Service Agency (FSA), including FSA emergency loans. Farmers in designated counties have eight months from the date of a Secretarial disaster declaration to apply for the loans.
“While drought conditions are clearly improving, farmers across Colorado are still recovering from losses incurred since late 2017,” said Kate Greenberg, Colorado Commissioner of Agriculture. “We encourage our state’s ag producers to check their eligibility for receiving FSA emergency loans and other assistance.”
The following Colorado counties have been designated as disaster areas:
Primary (28):
| Alamosa Archuleta Clear Creek Conejos Costilla Delta Dolores Eagle Garfield Grand |
Gunnison Hinsdale Jackson La Plata Mesa Mineral Moffat Montezuma Montrose Ouray |
Pitkin Rio Blanco Rio Grande Routt Saguache San Juan San Miguel Summit |
Contiguous (11):
| Boulder Chaffee Custer Fremont |
Gilpin Huerfano Jeffson Lake |
Larimer Las Animas Park |
Those who may be affected should contact their county FSA office for information about emergency loans and other assistance.