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Sen. Schumer urges USDA to get ready for drought claims from St. Lawrence County, state

Posted 8/7/16

New York U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer has called on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to issue a disaster declaration to help upstate New York farmers who suffer major losses and crop …

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Sen. Schumer urges USDA to get ready for drought claims from St. Lawrence County, state

Posted

New York U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer has called on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to issue a disaster declaration to help upstate New York farmers who suffer major losses and crop damage from the severe drought this summer.

Some parts of St. Lawrence County are not so hard hit, but rain has been scarce this summer and farmers and gardeners have been complaining and are concerned about their crops.

The senator is calling on USDA to stand ready to issue a secretarial disaster declaration so low-interest emergency loans can be made available to eligible farmers. In addition, the senator is calling for USDA to work with farmers to document losses and process their claims for USDA disaster assistance programs.

“I have seen in my travels around the state and heard from many growers that many fields are already parched from this summer’s drought – so the time is ripe for USDA to begin preparing for a disaster declaration for our upstate New York farmers,” said Schumer in a press statement. “New York is home to countless quality farms, vineyards, and orchards, and this summer there is widespread concern that the drought will dramatically reduce their harvest and that growers won't have the cash flow to replant. That is why I am putting the U.S. Department of Agriculture on notice to marshal its resources, start the assessment process early and be ready to provide swift relief to farmers across upstate New York.”

Small farmers across many counties have already detected evidence of serious drought conditions.

Following crop losses due to drought, growers often suffer cash flow problems that impact their ability to replant quickly and also impact production for several years.

Schumer said USDA should begin preparing for this emergency to help farmers that sustained losses to recover and stay viable for years to come.