Deadline Approaching for Agriculture Disaster Programs in La.

The deadline to sign-up for disaster programs available through USDA’s Farm Service Agency is fast approaching, Louisiana Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Bob Odom announced.

Louisiana producers who suffered losses due to the 2005 hurricanes may be eligible.

“FSA extended the sign-up period to March 30, 2007,” Odom said. “There is a little more time available now, so please, take this opportunity to send in your applications.”

The programs include: livestock compensation, livestock indemnity II, citrus, fruit and vegetable, tropical fruit, nursery and tree. Sign-up deadline for the tree assistance program was also added to the March 30 deadline.

Producers in the following parishes may be eligible for the programs: Acadia, Allen, Ascension, Assumption, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Calcasieu, Caldwell, Cameron, Catahoula, Claiborne, Concordia, DeSoto, East Baton Rouge, East Carroll, East Feliciana, Evangeline, Franklin, Grant, Iberia, Iberville, Jackson, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, Lafourche, LaSalle, Lincoln, Livingston, Madison, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Orleans, Ouachita, Plaquemines, Pointe Coupee, Rapides, Red River, Richland, Sabine, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Tensas, Terrebonne, Union, Vermilion, Vernon, Washington, Webster, West Baton Rouge, West Carroll, West Feliciana and Winn.

Odom said each of the programs has certain other specific eligibility requirements and guidelines.

The livestock compensation program provides payments to livestock owners for feed losses and includes dairy cattle, beef cattle, buffalo, beefalo, equine, poultry, elk, reindeer, sheep, goats, swine and deer.

The livestock indemnity program II provides payments to livestock owners for death of animals including non-adult dairy cattle, beef cattle, buffalo, beefalo, catfish, crawfish, equine, sheep, goats, swine, poultry and deer.

The citrus program provides assistance to producers who suffered crop production losses and fruit-bearing tree damage, including related clean up and rehabilitation costs.

The fruit and vegetable program provides assistance to producers who suffered crop production losses, including related clean up costs.

The tropical fruit program provides assistance to producers of carambola, longan, lychee and mangos who suffered tropical fruit production losses.

The nursery program provides assistance to qualifying commercial ornamental nursery and fernery producers who suffered inventory losses and incurred clean-up costs. Eligible nursery stock includes deciduous shrubs, broadleaf evergreens, coniferous evergreens, shade and flowering trees, propagation stock, and fruit and nut seed stock.

The tree assistance program provides payments to eligible owners of commercially grown Christmas trees, ornamental trees, nursery trees, potted trees, bushes (including shrubs) and vines that were lost or damaged due to 2005 hurricanes.

“I urge producers to promptly submit their applications,” Odom said. “I don’t want anyone who is eligible to miss out on recouping his or her losses.”

Farmers and ranchers suffering losses due to the hurricanes can apply for the programs at local FSA offices or USDA Service Centers. Fact sheets and other information regarding disaster programs are available online at www.fsa.usda.gov under disaster assistance programs.

Source: Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry