Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet announced today that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated Colorado’s Kit Carson and Yuma counties as contiguous disaster areas due to damages and losses caused by excessive rain, high winds, and hail from a storm on June 14, 2014. The designations make farmers and ranchers in these counties eligible for assistance from the Farm Service Agency.

“Severe weather – whether it’s a thunderstorm or long-lasting drought – can wreak havoc on the operations of our farmers and ranchers throughout the state,” Bennet said. “Thankfully, the five-year Farm Bill we passed earlier this year includes assistance our producers can rely upon when weather impedes their work. Producers in Kit Carson and Yuma counties will now have access to this crucial assistance should they need it.”

Producers in counties designated as primary or contiguous disaster areas are eligible to be considered for FSA emergency loans. Farmers in eligible counties have eight months from the date of the disaster declaration to apply for assistance.

Local FSA offices can provide affected farmers and ranchers with additional information: