Farmers who suffered crop loss due to last year’s flood have one month to apply for South Carolina Farm Aid grants through the South Carolina Department of Agriculture (SCDA).
The deadline for applying is August 15, 2016.
To be eligible for the grant, farmers must have:
- experienced a verifiable loss of affected agricultural commodities of at least 40-percent as a result of the October 2015 flooding,
- a farm located in a USDA flood disaster declared South Carolina county and
- a United Stated Department of Agriculture-Farm Service Agency issued farm number.
Applicants will also be required to sign an affidavit, under penalty of perjury, certifying that loss information is accurate. Acceptable documentation of loss varies based on each crop.
“Along with our partners, we’ve hosted educational sessions throughout the state to help farmers with the application process,” said Commissioner Hugh Weathers. “I encourage farmers who intend to apply to connect with local county agents for assistance in completing their application.”
The training sessions for the remainder of July are:
- July 18 from 4 – 6 p.m. at Ramada Inn of Florence, Lucas St. Hwy 52 (Exit 164 off I-95), Florence, SC
- July 19 from 9 – 11 a.m. at County Line Steak & Seafood Restaurant, 9340 Bamberg Hwy, Brunson, SC
- July 19 from 2 – 4 p.m. at Clemson University’s Edisto Research & Education Center, 64 Research Rd., Blackville, SC
- July 20 from 1 – 5 p.m. at USDA Vegetable Lab, 2700 Savannah Highway, Charleston, SC
- July 21 from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. at Sandhill Research and Education Center, 900 Clemson Road, Columbia, SC, G02 meeting room
For additional workshop details and registration information, visit agriculture.sc.gov/sc-farm-aid/educational-sessions/.
For complete application instructions and to access the application PDF form, visit agriculture.sc.gov/SC-farm-aid/. For more information about Farm Aid or to be put in contact with Farm Aid staff, please call Megan Heidkamp with SCDA at (803) 734-2210.