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Indiana FSA is encouraging farmers to report damage, loss after severe storms

There are programs and resources in place to help Hoosier farmers impacted by recent severe storms.

Julia Wickard is the state executive director for the USDA Farm Service Agency in Indiana.

“Our April came in like a lion. Diagonally across Indiana from the southwest to the northeast part of the state, farm fields, farming operations, and livelihoods were disrupted with storms that took place the evening of March 31st into April 1st,” she says. “Since that time our offices have been on point and ready to assist producers who have experienced any kind of physical loss to their operation whether it’s structural damage, building damage, or livestock loss. For example, there was a report of complete honeybee hives that were decimated. (The damage) has run the gamut.”  

She is encouraging farmers to contact their local county office.

“If for whatever reason you haven’t communicated with your county office, do that. If you had structural damage or loss on your operation, communicate that to your local office so we can record it and move it through the appropriate channels through our state office and then ultimately up to our national office for any kind of assistance that we might be able to provide.”

She tells Brownfield farmers should report any damage to county FSA offices by Friday, April 21^st.

“(The county offices) are busy gathering, photographing, getting data, and assembling reports that ultimately come to our state office. As the state executive director, I then report that to our national office to our administration for any assistance that can come down to our state,” she says. “The bottom line is please contact your office today and report damage.”  

There are several program programs available to help with recovery from the storms.

“There are several programs that are part of the farm bill including the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP), where the producer must report any loss of livestock within 30 days. It’s important that producers have evidence or documentation of that loss of livestock. Examples of documentation include photo or video records, rendering receipts, veterinarian records, or production records,” she says.

The Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybee, and Farm-raised Fish Program is also available and producers should report loss and provide documentation within 30 days.

Wickard says damage to structures under loan with the FSA through the Farm Storage Facility Loan Program may also be reported.

“This is for those operations across the state that have participated with a loan to put up a grain bin or grain leg. We did have damage to those kinds of facilities,” she says. “If you had damage to a FSFL on your operation and you have not reported that and you have a loan with the government, that is really important that you also communicate that information as it’s a different avenue of assistance. We can certainly work with those producers as well.”

For more information contact you local FSA office or visit farmers.gov/recover.

Audio: Julia Wickard