Small businesses in Livingston County are eligible for federal loan assistance due to an agriculture disaster declaration tied to heavy rain and snow and unseasonably low temperatures last spring.

After a natural disaster, the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) makes a disaster declaration to assist farmers and ranchers. Automatically as a result, the Small Business Administration makes a disaster declaration to help businesses both farm-related and non-farm related in the disaster declared counties that feel the ripple effect of the plight of the farmers and ranchers as a consequence of the disaster. The SBA offers low-interest loans to help meet obligations such as debt payments and payroll that could have been handled if a disaster had not occurred. The Economic Injury Disaster Loans are currently available to small businesses and small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and private nonprofit organizations in Michigan. The opportunity is not for individual farmers or ranchers, but for businesses that are connected to farming operations. The loans are available in 74 counties, including Livingston, as a result of the excessive rain, flooding, flash flooding and abnormally cold temperatures beginning on March 1st, 2019.

Details about how to apply for the loans can be found in the attachment. (JM)