The USDA has declared Maine's ongoing drought a natural disaster, allowing farmers to apply for federal emergency assistance loans from the agency.
Farmers in all 16 counties are eligible for the USDA loans. Funds can be used to pay off debt, for essential living expenses, and to replace product or equipment.
Much or all of the state has been gripped by drought for several months now, despite recent rainfall. It started with a dry spell in August and has continued to worsen throughout the growing season. The drought has been severe enough to impact many farmers' bottom lines; Blueberries, apples, potatoes, and maple syrup growers have all felt the effects.
"We saw significant reduction in crop yield on almost all crops," said Tom Gordon, soil and water conservation program coordinator at the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry. "Berry crops were reduced to 50-75%, apple crops were smaller this year."
Gordon says the federal loan program should help farmers to stabilize their income after a season of losses. But for some crops, he said, the damage will go past this season.
"One of the problems with berries and fruits is they often need to set their buds this year for next year's fruiting," he said. "And the drought has definitely affected the ability of those plants to get themselves ready for next year."
In addition to the federal loans, Maine's DACF will also take grant applications for the state drought relief program, Gordon said. That program will help to fund drilled wells and water storage ponds for farms in Maine.
"USDA’s Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Risk Management Agency offer a full suite of technical and financial assistance programs to help agricultural producers recover from natural disaster events, including drought," a USDA spokesperson told Maine Public in a statement.
The U.S. Drought Monitor predicts the dry period will last through the winter. Depending on snowpack accumulation, melting snow in the spring may bring an end to the drought.