Designation helps ranchers and farmers obtain low-interest loans
A drought disaster declaration for Madera County has been issued by the California Emergency Management Agency (Cal EMA) and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), officials announced Tuesday.
The county’s designation as a primary disaster area makes low-interest loans available to local farmers and ranchers affected by the drought, Madera County Ag Commissioner Stevie McNeill told the Board of Supervisors at Tuesday’s regular meeting.
The drought declaration, issued April 24, was based on the qualifying period of Feb. 26 through April 22, in which the USDA kept track of drought conditions in Madera County in a new streamlined disaster designation process called Drought Monitor, McNeill said.
“During that period many things are dormant, so we know that the people seeking low-interest loans and assistance for that drought period will be those dealing with pasture and rangeland for grazing for cattle,” she said...