Please help spread the word, Hunterdon County has been declared by the USDA as eligible for Emergency loans due to a Contiguous County Disaster Declaration from 7/20/18 thru 9/27/18 due to excessive rain, moisture, and storm force winds and Primary County designation during the same period for excessive rain and moisture. EM Loan applications are due by 10/4/2019 for losses. Disaster declarations are attached. 

• Secretarial Disaster Designation #S4455 is due to the combined effects of Excessive Rain, Moisture, and Storm-force Winds from Hurricane Florence impacting New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.

o Incident Period of July 20, 2018 to September 27, 2018.
o 3 Primary Counties in New Jersey: Warren, Sussex and Morris Counties.
o 5 Contiguous Counties in New Jersey: Hunterdon, Somerset, Union, Essex and Passaic Counties.
o 2 Adjacent States and 5 Contiguous Counties in the Adjacent States: State of New York – Orange County; State of Pennsylvania – Pike, Monroe, Northampton and Bucks Counties.
o Application Deadline: close of business October 4, 2019.

• Secretarial Disaster Designation #S4454 is due to Excessive Rain and Moisture impacting New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

o Incident Period of July 20, 2018 to September 27, 2018.
o 2 Primary Counties in New Jersey: Hunterdon and Somerset Counties.
o 5 Contiguous Counties in New Jersey: Warren, Morris, Union, Middlesex and Mercer Counties.
o 1 Adjacent State and 1 Contiguous County in the Adjacent State: State of Pennsylvania – Bucks County.
o Application Deadline: close of business October 4, 2019.

Eligible farmers may borrower up to a maximum amount of $500,00.00 to restore or replace essential property, pay all or part of production costs associated with the disaster year, or refinance certain debts incurred due to the disaster. Farmers who may be interested in applying for an Emergency Loan must own or operate land located in a county designated by the Secretary of Agriculture as a primary disaster area or a contiguous disaster county, must be an established family farm operator, have sufficient farming experience, and must have suffered a 30 percent loss of production in a single crop/livestock enterprise. Loans for crop and livestock losses are normally repaid within one to seven years, and depending on the loan purpose, may be authorized for a term of up to 20 years. The current interest rate is 3.750%, and would be fixed for the term of the loan. If you were interested in more information about FSA disaster assistance, visit http://disaster.fsa.usda.gov. Otherwise, if you have any questions, please feel free to call me at the number below.