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4-2-2003 |
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COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE URGES ELIGIBLE FARMERS TO APPLY FOR DROUGHT ASSISTANCE Commissioner of Agriculture Gus R. Douglass is encouraging eligible farmers to take advantage of two federal assistance programs aimed at livestock and tobacco producers. The programs are among the first to be implemented under the Agricultural Assistance Act of 2003, part of an omnibus farm bill passed by Congress last year. “Although the precipitation we’ve received this winter has caused many people to forget, many of our farmers suffered serious economic losses to crops and livestock late last summer,” said Commissioner Douglass. “Most of West Virginia’s counties have been certified as primary disaster areas by the USDA, making farmers eligible to apply for federal aid.” The Livestock Compensation Program (LCP) sign up began April 1, and is scheduled to end in early June. The Tobacco Payment Program (TOPP) benefit sign up began March 17, and is scheduled to end May 16. Details regarding program benefits and information about other sign-up dates will be announced in the near future, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Previously under LCP, a county must have been named a primary county under a disaster designation by the Secretary of Agriculture between January 1, 2001, and September 19, 2002, only for drought. The act expands LCP to make eligible any counties that were requested as primary disaster areas under a presidential or secretarial declaration by February 20, 2003, and that were subsequently approved. To sign up for LCP or TOPP assistance, eligible producers should visit their local FSA offices as soon as possible. USDA anticipates more than 700 additional counties will be made eligible for LCP under the Act. LCP was originally administered in 2,149 counties. USDA has also launched a website, http:/disaster.fsa.usda.gov, that provides producers one location for details on programs, questions and answers, and allows for comments and suggestions on program implementation.
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