Hollister
– The U.S. Department of Agriculture has designated San Benito
County as a primary natural disaster area due to crop losses from
January’s freeze.
Hollister – The U.S. Department of Agriculture has designated San Benito County as a primary natural disaster area due to crop losses from January’s freeze.
The record-setting cold weather occurred from Jan. 12 through Jan. 24, causing an estimated $2.2 million in damage to county crops, Agricultural Commissioner Paul Matulich said. The designation makes qualified growers eligible for low-interest emergency loans through the U.S. Small Business Administration.
The loans are aimed at helping smaller growers producing less than $200,000 in crops annually, Matulich said.
“Anybody who had significant damage,” he said. “Like some of these small specialty guys.”
In addition to seeking assistance for freeze damage, Matulich sent a letter to the governor’s office requesting aid for local range land.
Due to drought conditions, county pastures have been reduced up to 70 percent for normal grass growth, Matulich said. Many local ranchers shipped their livestock to higher pastures early this season, he said.
Cattle production in San Benito netted more than $16 million for ranchers in 2005, according to the agricultural commissioner.
Matulich began accounting for the county’s losses shortly after the freeze. To be eligible as a federal disaster area, a county had to lose more than one-third of a specific crop.
The county’s only citrus grower lost its entire 50-acre crop of lemons.
The commissioner wrote Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in February requesting the disaster area designation.
USDA officials designated 13 California counties, including San Benito County, as primary natural disaster areas after a recommendation from Schwarzenegger.
Growers will have until Jan. 9, 2008, to apply for loans at 3.75 percent interest, according to the USDA.
Richard Silva, who grows row crops with San Juan Bautista-based Top Flavor Farms, said he will most likely not seek help for the three acres of leeks he lost due to the freeze.
“What we lost is probably not worth pursuing any government assistance,” Silva said.
The emergency loans would cover up to 100 percent of losses, with a maximum of $500,000, according to the USDA.
Matulich said he has been encouraging growers to take advantage of the loans if they need them.
“Some who had losses won’t apply for it,” Matulich said. “They’ll just take it as Mother Nature and move on.”
Growers interested in the loan process should contact the San Benito County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office at 831-637-5344.
Michael Van Cassell covers public safety. Reach him at 831-637-5566 ext. 335 or mv*********@fr***********.com.
