* Ready to Assist Illinois Agricultural Producers with Storm Recovery
The recent storms and tornadoes across Illinois have brought devastating damage to many farms, homes, and rural communities. The USDA Farm Service Agency extends thoughts and prayers to those impacted farm families and communities. State Executive Director William Graff says the USDA stands ready and is fully committed to supporting farm families through the recovery process.
If your farming operation sustained loss or damage to crops, livestock, buildings, other structures or equipment, USDA encourages you to carefully document losses and contact your local USDA Service Center as soon as conditions are safe. Timely reporting of loss or damage is important and may help determine eligibility for available disaster assistance programs.
Farmers and producers, are reminded to: document all damages and losses with photographs, videos, and written records;
keep receipts and records related to cleanup, repairs, and other recovery expenses;
record losses to crops, livestock, farm infrastructure, fencing, equipment, buildings, and conservation practices;
contact your crop insurance agent promptly if insured losses have occurred;
reach out to your local USDA Service Center before starting major cleanup activities (some exceptions may apply when there is a threat to safety or there is an urgent hazard mitigation need such as restoring fencing to confine livestock).
USDA offers several disaster assistance programs that may help eligible farmers and producers recover from losses caused by natural disasters, including assistance for livestock, certain crop losses, farmland and conservation practice rehabilitation or restoration, emergency loans and loan servicing options for current borrowers.
Graff states it's understand many farmers and producers are just beginning to assess the extent of loss or damage, and some areas may face additional inclement weather in the hours and days to come. As conditions allow, please reach out to your local USDA Service Center so the FSA can connect you with the proper resources and support available. To locate your local USDA Service Center, visit farmers.gov/service-locator or contact your county FSA office.
Additional USDA disaster assistance information can be found on farmers.gov, including USDA resources specifically for producers impacted by severe storms and tornadoes. Those resources include the Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool, Disaster-at-a-Glance fact sheet, Loan Assistance Tool, and Natural Disasters and Crop Insurance fact sheet.
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