Farm Recovery Grant Program Application Deadline Approaching

BATON ROUGE, La., Aug. 10 -- The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry issued the following news:

The deadline for agricultural producers to apply for recovery grant money is August 30, 2017. To date, there are a little more than 100 applicants.

"It is not often that the ag industry receives grant money following a disaster. Typically, ag producer assistance comes in the form of a low interest loan. Losing your livelihood during a disaster and then taking out a loan to recover can be debilitating for many of our smaller producers and their families," said Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain, D.V.M.

This $10 million recovery grant money will go toward eligible farmers and ranchers in 51 parishes who suffered losses as a result of disastrous flooding in March and August of 2016. Eligible recipients can receive up to $100,000. However, if farmers do not apply for the grant, Louisiana will lose the money that is left over.

"We know many of our farmers are in the middle of harvest season, but we are here to help them fill out the application, if necessary. Even if you have crop insurance, you may still be eligible for some grant money," added Strain.

The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF) is offering assistance for the application process. Ag producers can call 866-295-0081 or 225-922-1277 with questions. Appointments can also be scheduled to come to the LDAF Headquarters in Baton Rouge for application assistance.

The grant is funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (as Community Development Block Disaster Recovery Program {CDBG} grant funds). The Louisiana Office of Community Development, Disaster Recovery Unit, receives the CDBG disaster recovery grant funds from HUD. The Louisiana Department of Agriculture of Forestry will then administer the program. The funding is part of the $1.6 billion congressional appropriation for Restore Louisiana. Producers with pre-storm annual gross farm revenue of $25,000 in the years 2014, 2015 or 2016 are eligible to apply.

Crop loss must amount to a minimum of $10,000 as calculated by the crop loss calculator. Eligible crops include: cotton, corn, crawfish, grain sorghum, rice, hay, soybeans, sweet potatoes, sugarcane, strawberries, wheat and cattle.

Eligible parishes include: Acadia, Allen, Ascension, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Calcasieu, Caldwell, Catahoula, Claiborne, DeSoto, East Baton Rouge, East Carroll, East Feliciana, Evangeline, Franklin, Grant, Iberia, Iberville, Jackson, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, LaSalle, Lincoln, Livingston, Madison, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Ouachita, Point Coupee, Rapides, Red River, Richland, Sabine, St. Helena, St. James, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Union, Vermilion, Vernon, Washington, Webster, West Baton Rouge, West Carroll, West Feliciana and Winn.

To review the guidelines, go to www.ldaf.la.gov. Applications are available online.