Hall, area counties eligible for loans

As a result of the recent series of storms, Hall County is one of 54 Nebraska counties now eligible to apply for U.S. Department of Agriculture low-interest emergency (EM) loans due to physical and production losses caused by severe storms, tornadoes and flooding that occurred beginning May 22 and are continuing.

The 54 Nebraska counties that were declared a disaster area became eligible for disaster assistance due to a presidential major disaster declaration signed June 20.

The primary counties named in the area are Adams, Boone, Sherman, Custer, Hall, Hamilton, Loup, Howard, Merrick and Nance.

In addition, 26 Nebraska counties became eligible for this assistance because they are contiguous to one or more of the primary designated counties.

Those area counties included are Valley and Greeley.

Emergency loan applications are available and must be submitted through the local Farm Service Agency county office from any applicant who qualifies for a physical or production loss (at least a 30-percent reduction from normal) in a single enterprise from this disaster in these counties.

To qualify for an EM loan, an applicant must be an established family farm operator; must provide evidence of having suffered a qualifying physical or production loss; and must be unable to obtain suitable credit from a source other than FSA.

The low-interest loans may cover up to 100 percent of the applicant's actual production or physical losses, to a maximum amount of $500,000. The loan applicants must show ability to repay the loan, and the loan must be adequately secured.

FSA loans for production losses may be used to buy feed, seed, fertilizer or livestock or to refinance certain debts. FSA loans for physical losses may be used to repair or replace the property that was damaged or lost.

The current interest rate for the EM loans is 3.75 percent. The deadline for submitting applications is Feb. 20, 2009.

In addition to the EM loan program, the FSA has other direct and guaranteed farm operating and farm ownership loan programs, which can be considered in assisting farmers to recover from their losses.

Additional information about FSA farm loan programs is available at www.fsa.usda.gov/dafl.

While corn and soybean crops struggle, wheat conditions were rated 62 percent good or excellent, which was above last year's rating of 54 percent, though crop development was estimated at being about eight days behind the five-year average.

Alfalfa was rated 68 percent good or excellent, similar to last year, though only 75 percent of the season's first cutting was completed, compared to the five-year average of 93 percent.

State range and pasture conditions were rated 72 percent good or excellent.