USDA declares eight New York counties primary disaster areas due to losses from tropical storms Lee, Irene; 16 neighboring counties also eligible for help

Andrew Rogers

ALBANY, New York , November 28, 2011 (Associated Press) – Federal authorities say farmers in eight upstate New York counties are primary natural disaster areas eligible for assistance recovering from tropical storm Lee.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture also said 16 counties neighboring them will also get help.

The agency says the assistance will come in the form of low interest loans to help carry farmers and ranchers through the recovery.

The rain and flooding from Lee in early September and the earlier tropical storm Irene caused widespread crop losses and erosion. The counties newly-designated as disaster areas are Broome, Chemung, Columbia, Cortland, Greene, Otsego, Tioga and Tompkins.

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