N. California counties eligible
May 26, 2004, H&N

Farmers in Modoc, Lassen and eight other counties in Northern California may be eligible for federal assistance under a drought declaration made last fall in Nevada.

Growers who have suffered at least a 30 percent loss due to drought or insect infestation may be eligible for loans. There are other eligibility requirements, including the ability to repay loans.
 

For more information, contact the Farm Service Agency Service Center at 802 W. 12th St. in Alturas.

Deadline near for program contracts

Next Tuesday is the deadline for producers to sign up for the 2004 Direct and Counter-cyclical Program, the USDA's safety net program for farmers.

Farmers must update their contracts before the June 1 deadline to receive program payments or to avoid late fees, said Chris Lauppe, Modoc County director of the Farm Service Agency.

"Before our agency can make any program payments, we must have an approved contract, eligibility forms and, in some cases, 2004 rental agreements on file at the producer's local FSA county office," Lauppe said.

Contracts submitted after June 1 will be subject to a late fee of $100 per farm.

The Direct and Counter-cyclical Program is designed to help stabilize U.S. agriculture by providing payments to eligible producers.