The Connecticut Department of Agriculture is encouraging farmers and agricultural producers who may have experienced crop damage or loss due to Tropical Storm Elsa to declare a loss to their United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) county office. Crop losses can be modified after the initial reporting as necessary.
The damage assessment for a USDA disaster declaration is based on a 30% loss of any crop per county. Only losses reported within that initial three-day window count towards the 30% threshold.
Reports should include:
• Crops damaged
• Total acre(s) planted per crop(s)
• # of acres destroyed or % of crop destroyed per crop
• Livestock damage
• Physical damage to equipment, buildings, fencing, trees, or damage caused by erosion
It is critical that producers keep accurate records to document damage or loss and report those losses to their local USDA Service Center as soon as possible. For more information on disaster assistance, visit farmers.gov.
The Connecticut Department of Agriculture (CT DoAg) mission is to foster a healthy economic, environmental, and social climate for agriculture by developing, promoting, and regulating agricultural businesses; protecting agricultural and aquacultural resources; enforcing laws pertaining to domestic animals; and promoting an understanding among the state's citizens of the diversity of Connecticut agriculture, its cultural heritage, and its contribution to the state's economy. For more information, visit www.CTGrown.gov.