SALEM, Ore. — Drought, smoke, heat and pests are all reasons Oregon is offering aid to farmers and ranchers for 2021 natural disaster effects.
The Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) says starting Monday, May 9, 2022, Oregon Disaster Assistance Program (ODAP) applications will be available to farmers and ranchers who experienced financial losses due to various natural disasters in 2021.
It says they can apply for ODAP state-level assistance as local banks and credit unions familiar with agriculture will administer ODAP aid throughout the state. A list of partners and a sample application are available at the ODAP web page. Applications will be available until June 3, 2022.
ODA Director Alexis Taylor says, “Oregon’s farmers and ranchers are used to dealing with issues beyond their control, but the series of natural disasters, where historic drought conditions were compounded by record-breaking heat, wildfire smoke, early winter storm damage, and pest infestation in 2021, was hard for any producer to absorb.”
ODA says the Oregon Legislature granted ODA the legal authority and $40-million last December to establish a disaster assistance program which ODA designed as a forgivable loan program with stakeholders and industry partners, adding, “The program calculates assistance for eligible farmers and ranchers in Oregon on the loss of Gross Farm Income. ODAP is based on tax filing from 2017, 2018, and 2019 to establish a 3-year baseline of what a producer could have expected in farm income without disaster impacts. Using the producer’s 2021 Gross Farm Income, the difference between 2021 income and the 3-year baseline is considered a loss due to natural disasters.
“The maximum assistance is $125,000 or 90% of the three-year baseline. In addition, producers who meet the USDA definition of a historically underserved producer or have less than $350,000 in gross income may qualify for maximum assistance is $150,000 or 95% of the three-year baseline.
“Assistance will be forgiven unless the producer receives additional funds under ODAP and certain US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) disaster assistance. USDA FSA disaster assistance will be reported back for redetermination for any repayment or forgiveness. Based on available funds, ODAP may conduct a second round of applications.”
