NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT:
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Michael Schommer, Communications Director
651-201-6629, michael.schommer@state.mn.us
MDA offering flood assistance grants to farmers in 15 counties
Grants now available to farmers impacted by destructive rain storms in June 2012
St. Paul, Minn. – The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is now accepting applications for state flood assistance from farmers severely impacted by record rainfall and flooding in June 2012. Grants are available to eligible farmers in Aitkin, Carlton, Cass, Cook, Crow Wing, Dakota, Goodhue, Itasca, Kandiyohi, Lake, Meeker, Pine, Rice, Sibley, and St. Louis Counties.
Governor Mark Dayton and state legislators agreed to create the grant program as part of the package of disaster aid passed into law during the one-day special legislative session on August 24. The program goal is to provide assistance to farmers recovering from the impacts of the severe storms.
Eligible losses may include, but are not limited to, feed and forage damages, damages to buildings or other agricultural structures, agricultural equipment losses, organic and specialty crop losses, and other related farm or ranch damages and expenditures. Expenses for clean-up and debris removal are also eligible.
The application form can be found on the MDA website at http://www.mda.state.mn.us/grants/disaster/floodgrant.aspx. Applications must be postmarked by October 24, 2012. The applications will be reviewed and audited by MDA staff, with funds expected to be delivered in January.
While this flood assistance may not cover all losses, it should help in the recovery and rebuilding process. Due to limited funds and uncertainty about the number of applications, MDA cannot estimate the level of reimbursement for individual applicants. After all applications are received, MDA will calculate these amounts based on the number and size of qualified claims in order to determine final allocations.
Farmers will need to provide the following information along with their application:
1) List of feed inventory or harvested forage losses;
2) List of capital damages including fencing, agricultural structural, agricultural equipment, or other capital losses;
3) List of debris removal expenses, organic and specialty crop losses and other losses or flood related expenditures; and
4) Attach photocopied receipts or verified estimates.
For more information about the program, contact MDA’s Minnesota Farmer Assistance Network at 1-877-898-6326.
-30-
www.youtube.com/mnagriculture • www.twitter.com/mnagriculture • www.mda.state.mn.us/facebook
625 Robert St. N. • St. Paul, MN 55155-2538 • 651-201-6629 • 1-800-967-2474 • www.mda.state.mn.us
In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, this information is available in alternative forms of communication upon request by calling 651-201-6000. TTY users can call the Minnesota Relay Service at 711 or 1-800-627-3529.
The MDA is an equal opportunity employer and provider.