Governor announces Disaster Designation Funding for San Carlos Reservation. neighboring counties

Emergency loans will help ranchers, other landowners

PHOENIX – Governor Jan Brewer today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has agreed to grant a Secretarial disaster designation to counties affected by ongoing drought and related disasters, including the wildfires that raged through the state this summer. This designation will provide federal assistance through low-interest emergency loans to landowners living in the San Carlos Apache Reservation and contiguous counties.

“I would like to thank the USDA for its swift response and willingness to assist the ranchers and rural communities facing great economic hardship,” said Governor Brewer. “The agricultural production losses and land damage caused by continued drought and the large wildfires this spring and summer has been devastating. With low-interest loans being made available with this disaster designation, residents and farm operators will be able to begin picking up the pieces.”

Due to statewide drought and high winds, this year’s wildfires have consumed approximately 950,000 acres, resulting in tremendous economic hardship for farmers and ranchers in rural communities. As a result, both Governor Brewer and the San Carlos Apache Tribe submitted requests to USDA Secretary Thomas Vilsack requesting disaster designations.

With its announcement today, the USDA found that production losses in the area were sufficient to warrant federal assistance. Qualifying landowners on the San Carlos Apache Reservation and contiguous counties – Apache, Gila, Graham, Greenlee, Navajo and Pinal – also are eligible for federal agricultural aid. Farm operators in the affected areas may receive low-interest emergency loans from the Farm Service Agency (FSA), as well as the Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments (SURE) program. The Governor has made a similar request for agricultural aid in Cochise County, and is awaiting federal determination.

“We’re delighted the Secretary has seen fit to make this declaration,” said Don Butler, Arizona Department of Agriculture Director. “This financial opportunity from the FSA will help Arizona farmers and ranchers cope with this disaster.”