The U.S. Department of Agriculture has declared Aroostook County a Drought Disaster Area. That makes farm operators in Aroostook and its 4 contiguous counties eligible for low-interest emergency loans and other programs.
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, all of Maine, including Aroostook County, is experiencing moderate to severe drought. A portion of northeast Aroostook County is in extreme drought.
Tom Gordon with the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry says conditions in Aroostook County are extremely poor.
“There has been very little rain this summer. This certainly has an impact on potato production. It can have impact on other crops. Stream and river flows are at some of the lowest that have been recorded in Aroostook County,” he says.
Gordon says Farm Service Agency emergency loans can be used to restore or replace essential equipment and living expenses and help with production costs and refinancing certain debt.
Gordon says farmers should contact their FSA office for details.
