Upstate farmers can now apply for emergency loans for crop damage through the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The money will help growers to recover some of the financial losses they suffered because of crop damage from cold weather earlier this year.

On June 17, the USDA designated a disaster area that includes Spartanburg, Cherokee, Greenville, Union, Abbeville, Anderson, Chester, Fairfield, Laurens, Newberry, Pickens and York counties.

Farmers in the designated disaster area can qualify for low-interest emergency loans from the USDA's Farm Service Agency.

Glenn Thomas, executive director for the USDA Farm Service Agency, said Tuesday he encourages farmers to apply for emergency loans if they suffered a loss due to the cold weather. Thomas said it only takes one crop loss to potentially qualify.

Crops that may have suffered damage during the period of Jan. 8 through March 29 include peaches and strawberries, he said. The deadline to apply for an emergency loan is Feb. 17, 2016.

The Farm Service Agency will consider the extent of the losses, security available and repayment ability for each loan applicant. Funding through the Federal Crop Insurance and Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program also is available.

Thomas said in most cases, crops weren't a total loss during the designated period. However, he said some farmers suffered losses during the time frame.

Source - http://www.goupstate.com/