8463
S SR 39 | Clayton, IN 46118 | Phone: 765-318-8025 | Email: farmassistance@earthlink.net
Website: www.indianacertifiedorganic.com/farmassistance
Individual
Assistance | Unemployment Benefits | Crop
Assistance | The Land
Livestock and Environmental Assistance | Natural
Resource Conservation | Disaster Assistance for
Businesses
Farmers have been some of the worst hit by the flooding in southern and south central Indiana. Because of this, farmers have needs for individual home and personal property assistance; unemployment benefits; emergency loans; crop insurance; technical assistance for a variety of crop and livestock damage; and conservation programs to restore the land. This document is intended to give an overview of the assistance available.
It is very important for farmers to respond now to emergency and assistance programs; many of these programs are only available for a limited time. Your state and federal agricultural agencies strongly encourage you to review the information below to make sure you apply for all the assistance and relief programs for which you qualify.
You can also find disaster recovery information at http://www.emergency.in.gov/agriculture.
Individual
Assistance
Home and Personal Property: Before anything else, if you have had home
or personal property loss you must apply for assistance via FEMA. This
must be done within 60 days from the time of the emergency. Individual
assistance provides financial assistance to households for rent, repairs,
replacement of home and personal goods up to a maximum of $28,800 per
household. FEMA aid is designed to complement rather than replace private
insurance, so any claims paid by private companies will be taken into
account in the determination of a FEMA grant. However, people may apply
for FEMA aid while awaiting the adjudication of any private insurance
claims they have made. This can be done via phone at 1-800-621-FEMA (1-800-621-3362)
or online at http://www.fema.gov.
In addition to the individual assistance grants, FEMA works with the SBA to help victims obtain low interest, long term loans, up to $200,000 for homeowners for the repair and/or replacement of homes, and up to $40,000 for homeowners and renters for personal contents. Business owners can also apply for loans up to $1.5 million. IMPORTANT: SBA business loans do not include agriculture. To fill out a Small Business Administration loan application call the SBA at 1-800-659-2955. NOTE: For homeowners and renters to receive the maximum amount of federal assistance available to you, you must fill out both the FEMA application and the SBA loan application. You do not have to take low interest loans if you do not wish, but it is very important to complete and submit the applications. Farmers are encouraged to contact their insurance agent and file a claim with their property and auto insurance companies immediately. The Indiana Department of Insurance assists Hoosiers with insurance questions and provides guidance in understanding how insurance policies work. They also monitor insurance companies and agents for compliance with state laws to protect consumers. If farmers have concerns they can contact the department by phone at 1-800-622-4461 or online at http://www.in.gov/idoi/.
Unemployment
Benefits
Farmers without crop or employment insurance may be eligible to receive
Disaster Unemployment Assistance, because they are self employed and many
no longer be able to do their job this season due to the flood. Farmers
will need to show proof of self employment (for example Indiana Disaster
Assistance for Agriculture a tax form which can be available from the
Indiana Department of Revenue). The maximum weekly benefit amount is $390
for up to 6 months of unemployment. This is coming from federal disaster
dollars, not state unemployment dollars. Farmers can talk with a representative
at a WorkOne center, a disaster assistance center or contact the Department
of Workforce Development by phone at 1-800-891-6499 or online at http://www.in.gov/dwd/
for more information and/or to apply.
The deadline to file is July 19, 2008.
Crop
Assistance
Emergency Loans: Many counties in Indiana have received agriculture
disaster designation from USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) and farmers
are eligible to apply for low-interest emergency loans from USDA to help
cover their losses. Farmers in eligible counties have eight months from
the date of the declaration to apply for the loans to help cover part
of their actual losses. FSA will consider each loan application on its
own merits, taking into account the extent of losses, security available
and repayment ability. If you need assistance locating your local FSA
office, the state FSA office can be reached by phone at 317-290-3030.
For a list of primary and contiguous disaster counties, go to http://www.in.gov/isda/2783.htm.
Crop Insurance: Farmers are encouraged to contact their crop insurance agent and file a claim with their insurance company immediately.
Technical Assistance: Purdue Extension has developed an extensive amount of field crops resources that can be accessed on their website at http://www.extension.purdue.edu/eden/disastertopics/floodstorms/index.html. Information from Purdue Extension will be helpful as farmers move into decisions about replanting and recovery. For further information, please contact your local extension educator. If you need assistance locating your county extension office, the Purdue Extension office can be reached via phone at 765-494-8491.
USDA General Disaster Assistance: The new farm bill, which took effect prior to the flood, includes permanent disaster relief provisions. Rules for these programs are currently being developed. This should also help farmers that currently do not have crop insurance. Farmers should stay in contact with their local FSA office to stay abreast of the rules and requirements as they are developed.
The
Land
Official damage assessments may take several weeks, but preliminary damage
assessments indicate that most areas in flood plains are affected not
only with major crop loss but also sizable damage to the land itself.
For example, many farmers are reporting sediment build-up with sand and
silt; washouts; debris; levy, dike or other protective waterway barriers
destroyed or damaged by flooding. Also, rehabilitating these affected
areas must occur to deal with immediate water issues and insuring productive
capacity is restored on the farmland. For example, many of the affected
fields cannot be replanted until debris, sediment and washouts are mitigated.
USDA has a myriad of emergency and traditional conservation programs that
can pay for 50-90 percent of the cost. State, local and/or private matching
funds are required to handle the remainder. Below are programs that are
active in many counties.
The Indiana State Department of Agriculture Division of Soil Conservation (DSC) provides technical and financial assistance to citizens to solve erosion and sediment-related problems occurring on the land or impacting public waters. A member of the DSC field staff can assist you with assessing flood damage on your land and providing information on conservation funds that are available. DSC can be reached by calling 317-232- 8770 or online at http://www.in.gov/isda.
Emergency Conservation
Program (ECP): This program provides individual farmers with grants
of up to 75 percent of the cost for issues on their own farms. Sign up
for this program begins June 23. Contact FSA at your local USDA Service
Center,
http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/webapp?area=home&subject=copr&topic=ecp
Emergency Watershed Program (EWP): This program provides communities with funding for 75 percent of the costs to repair situations causing immediate threat to lives or property such as clearing debris from waterways, restoring vegetation, and stabilizing river banks. There is funding available both for short term urgent needs, and for longer term emergency work. In addition, dollars are available to obtain floodplain easements. Contact NRCS at your local USDA Service Center, http://www.in.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/EWP/EWPhomepage.html
This program provides communities with funding for 75 percent of the costs to repair situations causing immediate threat to lives or property such as clearing debris from clogged waterways, restoring vegetation, and stabilizing river banks. The remaining 25 percent must come from local sources and can be in the form of cash or in-kind services.
Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP): These programs pay as much as 90 percent of the cost to install waterways, filter and buffer strips and other conservation practices. Sign up is on-going for CRP but CREP currently is in only a few watersheds so contact you local USDA center to determine eligibility. Contact FSA at your local USDA Service Center, http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/stateoffapp?mystate=in&area=home&subject=prog&topic=landing
Livestock
and Environmental Assistance
Spill Reporting: To report or request assistance regarding a manure or
ag chemical spill contact IDEM’s spill hotline 24/7 at (317) 233-7745
or 888-233-7745. A potential spill can also be reported to begin the prevention
process.
Feed, Seed, Fertilizer, and Pesticides: Questions should be directed to the Office of the Indiana State Chemist via phone at (765) 494-1492 or online at www.isco.purdue.edu.
Livestock: Questions regarding dead animal disposal should be referred to BOAH at (317) 227-0300 or online at http://www.in.gov/boah.
Natural
Resource Conservation
In Indiana, $1 million will be applied to repair existing EQIP conservation
practices that were damaged by the devastating floods. If you are currently
receiving EQUIP funds and need assistance contact:
Jane Hardisty, State Conservationist, NRCS, (317) 290-3200 or
Mike McGovern, Public Affairs Specialist, NRCS, (317) 290-3200, ext. 324
http://www.in.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/2008eqip/eqip2008.html.
Disaster
Assistance for Businesses
The U.S. Small Business Administration offers long-term, low-interest
loans to repair or replace damaged property for businesses – regardless
of size – in a declared disaster area. For more information, call
1-800-659-2955.
Here are some of the things offered by the SBA:
- Physical disaster loans: Businesses of all sizes may apply for a loan of up to $1.5 million to repair or replace damaged real estate, equipment, inventory and fixtures. These loans cover both insured and uninsured losses. Interest rate on this loan will not exceed 4 percent.
- Economic Injury Disaster Loans: Small businesses and small agricultural cooperatives suffering substantial economic injury may be eligible for these loans up to $1.5 million to meet necessary financial obligations – expenses the business would have paid if the disaster had not occurred. Interest rate on this loan will not exceed 4 percent.
- Downloadable applications: Businesses may apply directly to the SBA at www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance/basics/howtoapply/index.html
Key Phone Numbers
- Toll Free Information Line: 1-888-880-3749 (available from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.)
- Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) 1-800-621-3362
- Red Cross: 1-800-438-4636
- Indiana State Police: 317-477-1125
- Emergency Food Stamp Assistance: 1-800-403-0864
- Indiana Department of Insurance: 1-800-622-4461
- Indiana Department of Agriculture: 317-290-3030; Livestock Loss 317-227-0300
- Indiana Department of Environmental Management Oil/Chemical Spill Hotline: 1-888-233-7745
- Unemployment: 1-800-891-6499
- U.S. Small Business Administration: 1-800-659-2955