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Valley Farmers Switching Up Crops due to Climate Change
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DAVIS-

More than two dozen counties in California are labeled as natural disaster areas because of the amount of damage and loss caused by extreme drought.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture designated 27 counties statewide; including Alameda, Alpine, Amador, Calaveras, Contra Costa, El Dorado, Merced, Monterey, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Tuolumne.

Farmers and other “agricultural operators” in these counties may qualify for low-interest emergency loans from the USDA’s Farm Service Agency. Counties that border one of the disaster counties also qualify for some natural disaster assistance.

Farmers and ranches in disaster counties have eight months from the date of declaration to apply for assistance to cover part of their actual losses.

To find more information, contact the county Farm Service Agency Office, or online at www.usda.gov/ca.