Due to the ongoing drought and spring frosts, Summit and Portage counties have become one of the 85 Ohio counties declared as natural disaster areas by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, according to StowSentry.com.
According to a release from Gov. John Kasich's office, this allows eligible farmers to seek federal assistance, including loans for crops, relief payments for non-insurable losses, temporary deferral of payments on federal loans, and permission to cut hay for livestock from acreage otherwise set aside for conservation.
Farmers have 8 months to apply for emergency loan assistance.
