Farmers say They More Than Loans

Borrowed Money Not the Answer
By Will Dugan
7/30/2009

On Tuesday Governor David Paterson asked the U.S. department of Agriculture to designate 17 counties as agricultural disaster areas. This summer's bad weather has taken its toll on farming. Crops have been pummeled by hail, washed away by excessive rain, and destroyed by funguses like Late Blight. If farmers are in the counties designated as disaster areas, they then have access to low interest loans. This attempts to help offset the cost of lost crops. However, some farmers feel that more could be done.

Farmers Need More Help

Although Oswego County was not suggested for an agricultural disaster area designation, Dick de Graff, the owner of Grindstone Farm, is no stranger to the woes of farming. He says that about 14 out of his 28 years in Oswego have had some type of agricultural disaster. But de Graff says the government could do more to help during these disasters.

“A low interest loan isn't really much of a help because it still needs to be paid back verses a grant or subsidy or something like that,” he said.

Loans borrow against a future, farming profits can change year to year which makes borrowing money risky said de Graff. He also said that these loans are problematic because although counties get designated as agricultural disaster areas, many of the farmers still have trouble qualifying for low interest loans. Even though the weather has been tough this summer, de Graff says they will make it out all right. Many farms have many different types of crops, stronger ones make up for weaker harvests of another. He says the last few years have been difficult, but he hopes the next few will be better.

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