More Maine farmers can apply for federal drought relief

Photo of cows in a pasture next to a tree, in autumn.

Photo / Jim Neuger “I welcome the USDA’s declaration and the disaster relief it will bring to Maine’s hard-working farmers," Gov. Janet Mills said in a news release.

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By Renee Cordes

Farmers across most of Maine affected by this year's drought can now apply for federal disaster relief after an eligibility declaration by U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue.

Franklin, Penobscot, Piscataquis, Sagadahoc, Somerset and Washington counties have been designated as primary natural disaster areas, while Androscoggin, Aroostook, Cumberland, Kennebec, Lincoln, Oxford, Waldo and York counties were named as contiguous disaster counties.

Hancock and Knox counties were the only ones not included in the eligibility declaration.

"The statewide drought conditions are severely impacting our agricultural sector and the rural communities they support,” Gov. Janet Mills said in a news release. “I welcome the USDA’s declaration and the disaster relief it will bring to Maine’s hard-working farmers. I will continue to work closely with Maine’s Congressional delegation to support our farmers throughout this challenging period.”

A secretarial disaster designation makes farm operators in primary counties and contiguous counties eligible to be considered for certain assistance from the USDA's Farm Service Agency, including emergency loans.

The loans can be used for a number of purposes, including to restore or replace essential property; pay all or part of production costs associated with the disaster year; cover essential family living expenses; reorganize a farming operation; or to refinance some debts.

Farmers in eligible counties have eight months from the date of the disaster declaration to apply for emergency loans.

Members of Maine's Congressional delegation, three of whom are running for reelection this November, welcomed the latest USDA declaration in a joint statement.

“Maine farmers have faced tremendous challenges this year, from supply chain disruptions caused by COVID-19 to the drought that severely impacted the growing season,” said the statement, from U.S. Sens. Angus King, I-Maine, and Susan Collins, R-Maine, and U.S. Reps. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine 1st District, and Jared Golden, D-Maine 2nd District. Collins, Pingree and Golden are all up for reelection.

“Maine farms sustain our rural communities, whether they are newly founded operations or ones that have been passed down from generation to generation," they added. "We strongly supported COVID-19 relief funding to help Maine farmers get through this difficult period, and this designation will help provide additional assistance.”

The news comes a few days after Maine's Drought Task Force met virtually last week to discuss the ongoing drought conditions across the state and amid reports from the U.S. Geological Survey about improvements in surface water in much of the state.

"We are cautiously optimistic that drought conditions will improve over the next few weeks," said Joe Legee, deputy director of the Augusta-based Maine Emergency Management Association, in a news release issued after the task force meeting. "An active weather pattern and increasing groundwater levels are good signs as we head into late fall and approach the ground freeze."