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USDA disaster payments begin
LEXINGTON - Jacquelin P. Easter, executive director for USDA's Farm Service Agency in Virginia, announced that USDA will begin issuing payments to farmers and ranchers across Vir- ginia who suffered losses because of natural disasters in recent years.
"Numerous agricultural producers suffered financial hardships in recent years because of floods, wildfires, tornadoes and other weather-related disasters," Easter said. "These funds will provide assistance to producers affected by these disasters."
USDA is making payments under the Crop Disaster Program, Livestock Compensation Program and Livestock Indemnity Program. The programs provide payments to agricultural producers who suffered crop, livestock and feed losses in 2005, 2006 and before Feb. 28, 2007. Sign-up for CDP, LCP and LIP is ongoing. Producers must choose one year for which to receive payments.
CDP provides benefits to farmers who suffered quantity and quality losses from natural disasters and related conditions that occurred in 2005 and 2006 and for 2007 crops, if the crop was planted before Feb. 28, 2007, or if the crop was prevented from being planted before Feb. 28, 2007. USDA will only compensate producers for quantity losses under CDP at this time. USDA will hold a sign-up for producers suffering quality losses in early 2008.
LCP compensates livestock producers for feed losses resulting from natural disasters occurring between Jan. 1, 2005 and Feb. 28, 2007. Producers who suffered losses resulting from blizzards that started in 2006 and continued into 2007 are eligible. Producers in primary or contiguous counties declared secretarial disaster areas or counties declared presidential disaster areas between Jan. 1, 2005 and Feb. 28, 2007 are eligible.
LIP compensates livestock producers for livestock losses between Jan. 1, 2005 and Feb. 28, 2007, that resulted from natural disasters, including losses due to blizzards that started in 2006 and continued into 2007. Producers in primary or contiguous counties declared secretarial disaster areas or counties declared presidential disaster areas between Jan. 1, 2005 and Feb. 28, 2007, are eligible.
Farmers and ranchers can apply to receive benefits through these and other disaster programs by visiting their local FSA service center. Find more information about the FSA disaster programs online at: http://disaster.fsa.usda.gov.
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