Following multiple disaster events in the 2021 Crop Year, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has issued a primary agricultural disaster designation for Orange County, New York. Under this disaster designation, agricultural producers in Orange County are eligible to apply for emergency loans and assistance from the Farm Service Agency in order to recoup production losses.
“New York’s farmers and agricultural producers are a cornerstone of the Hudson Valley, and for an industry already operating on razor-thin margins, production losses during the COVID pandemic have been the last straw,” said Senator Schumer. “Today’s disaster declaration will go a long way, not only towards helping farmers recover their losses from the 2021 Crop Year, but also towards securing the long-term economic viability of agriculture in Upstate New York. I will continue to do everything in my power to help the farmers of Orange County and the rest of the state get the critical federal assistance they need ASAP.”
“This disaster declaration will connect New York’s farmers with federal resources and is an important first step to help the agricultural industry recover from disasters that impacted crop production,” said Senator Gillibrand. “I will continue fighting for resources to ensure that farmers in Orange County and throughout the state can get back on their feet.”
Farmers in eligible counties have 8 months from the date of the disaster declaration to apply for emergency loans.