Indiana must now wait following a formal request to the U.S. Department of Agriculture asking for a Disaster Declaration.
Governor Mike Pence sent the letter – which states 53 of Indiana’s 92 counties are in need of assistance due to rains and flooding that damaged crops across the Hoosier State. Indiana experienced record rainfall in June of this year, with the first half of July showing strong precipitation in the immediate area.
LaPorte, Starke, Marshall, and Pulaski counties are all included on the list of counties that have met, or exceeded, 30-percent crop damage. According to information released by the Governor’s office, once a Disaster Declaration has been made, emergency loans are made available to farmers in that county.
The low-interest financing can also be made to counties contiguous to counties in the disaster zone.
As part of an investigation into crop damages, area farmers can submit crop damage reports to their county FSA offices while any disaster declaration is in effect.
