Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has declared all of Rhode Island and several counties in Connecticut and Massachusetts as "primary natural disaster areas" for farmers because of the rain and low temperatures last summer.

The declaration makes farmers eligible for low-interest federal loans in the next eight months as well as other support programs offered by the department.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said Rhode Island farmers suffered damage to corn and alfalfa forage as well as strawberries, sweet corn, tomatoes and zucchini. Alfred R. Bettencourt, head of the Rhode Island Farm Bureau, said he is certain Rhode Island farmers will be applying for the loans. The pumpkin crop alone was down about 50 percent, he said.

Vilsack also made the disaster declaration for New London and Windham Counties in Connecticut and Bristol, Norfolk and Worcester Counties in Massachusetts.

 Tags  bad weather Rhode Island farms

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