State and federal agencies to aid PA and NY farmers

By TOM KANE

RIVER VALLEY — Agriculture agencies in New York and Pennsylvania are moving quickly to assist farmers who suffered losses from Tropical Depression Ivan. The governors of both states have declared an emergency in conjunction with a federal disaster declaration.

Ivan was downgraded from a tropical storm to a depression when sustained winds fell below 39 miles per hour.

The Emergency Conservation Program, a federal farmland agency connected to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), is expected to provide assistance to rehabilitate cropland, restore fences, rebuild conservation structures and remove debris.

This program is structured to react quickly and help farmers recover from this type of disaster.

Another USDA program, Disaster Aid Program, assists in production losses. The Disaster Aid Program pays 64 percent while the farmer must pay the remaining 36 percent of the estimated lost crop value. It’s the farmers’ responsibility to submit a request for funds, officials said.

According to Joseph Walsh, Cornell Cooperative Extension agriculture program leader, three Sullivan County farms that were especially hit hard were John Gorzynsky’s organic farm in Cochecton Center, Jack Diehl’s dairy farm in Kenoza Lake and Wes and Amy Gillingham’s farm in Youngsville.

“The Gillinghams got hit twice,” Walsh said. “First, Ivan hit them and then the rain a week later, which didn’t hit anyone else.”

Walsh said that a number of streams have had their course altered by Ivan and were in danger of flooding even if the rains were not as severe as Ivan.

Farmers needing assistance should call the Farm Service Agency at 845/343-1872 in New York or 717/772-5215 in Pennsylvania.