State farmers eligible for aid

INDIANAPOLIS – Farmers in 20 Indiana counties now are eligible for low-interest emergency farm loans from the federal Farm Service Agency because of severe storms from remnants of Hurricane Ike last month.

The Indiana State Department of Agriculture said President Bush has given primary disaster designations to six counties: Harrison, Jefferson, Jennings, LaPorte, Lake and Porter. Fourteen counties received contiguous disaster designations: Bartholomew, Clark, Crawford, Decatur, Floyd, Jackson, Jasper, Newton, Ripley, St. Joseph, Scott, Starke, Switzerland and Washington.

Farmers in these 20 counties may contact their local Farm Service Agency office for further information on emergency loans.