Union part of drought disaster area
By JARED PUTNAM Union Sentinel Editor

Union County was one 149 counties in Georgia to be declared a "primary natural disaster area" by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) this week, making farms and related businesses eligible for assistance such as low interest loans from the USDA Farm Service Agency.

The announcement was made by Governor Sonny Perdue, who earlier this month sent a letter to USDA Secretary Mike Johanns, asking for a disaster declaration. The governor's request was echoed by U.S. Senators Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.), Ranking Republican Member on the Senate Agriculture Committee, and Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) and U.S. Congressman Jack Kingston.

"We need to do everything we can to help Georgia farmers recover from one of the driest growing seasons in recent memory," Sen. Chambliss said. "Our agricultural community has had a number of weather-related disasters already this year, including the devastating freeze this spring and the wild fires that continue to burn in Southern Georgia as a result of no or little rainfall."

Nine other counties in Georgia received designation as "contiguous disaster areas." Only Muscogee County, Ga., did not qualify for either designation. The 10 counties that were not designated primary natural disaster areas will continue to be monitored as more assessments of losses are completed by the USDA.

To receive a disaster designation a county must have sustained a loss of at least 30 percent in dollar value for all crops, or of a single crop or group of crops, such as all fruit crops.

Although all farmers in Union County are eligible to apply, they do not automatically qualify for the loans. Each farmer must meet individual eligibility requirements. Each loan application is considered on its own merits, taking into account the amount of losses, security available and repayment ability.

The agriculture industry supports one in six jobs in Georgia, but the sustained drought has prevented many Georgia farmers from even planting a crop, and has left many without sufficient feed for their livestock.