Farmers, ranch hands may be eligible for FEMA assistance

BUTLER COUNTY, Ky. – Farmers and ranch hands whose tools were damaged by the February and April severe storms may be eligible for disaster assistance.

According to a release by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, help is available to replace disaster-damaged essential tools, supplies, equipment and other items needed for employment or self-employment.

Officials say this applies to the declared counties, which include Anderson County, Butler County, Carroll County, Christian County, Clark County, Franklin County, Hardin County, Hopkins County, Anderson County, Jessamine County, McCracken County, Mercer County, Owen County, Woodford County and Jessamine County.

Items potentially eligible for coverage include but are not limited to tractors, plows, seeders or planters, harvesters, sprayers, hay balers and utility vehicles, according to FEMA.

The release states the items are potentially eligible if the following criteria are met:

• The applicant can show they were damaged by the disaster.
• The applicant does not have another working item that can meet this need.
• The loss of the item was not covered by insurance.

Officials say crops and livestock are not tools and equipment since they are products of a farming operation.

In addition, the release states ranch hands may be eligible for assistance to replace tools and equipment damaged by the disaster that are not covered by insurance if they show the items are required by their employer.

Assistance is based on a need to replace disaster-damaged essential tools, supplies, equipment, items required by an employer as a condition of employment or required for education, according to FEMA.

This includes disaster-damaged tools and equipment or other items required for a specific trade or profession that are not provided or supplied by the employer.

Officials say additional assistance to help meet these needs may also be available from the Small Business Administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

How To Apply for FEMA Assistance

The first step to receive FEMA assistance is to apply.

You can apply in several ways:

• Learn more at fema.gov/disaster/4864.
• Online at DisasterAssistance.gov.
• Visit any Disaster Recovery Center. To find a center close to you, visit fema.gov/DRC, or text DRC along with your
  Zip Code to 43362 (Example: “DRC 29169”).
• Use the FEMA mobile app.
• Call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. It is open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Eastern Time. Help is available in many languages. If you use a relay service, such as Video Relay Service (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA your number for that service.