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Disaster Guide Unravels Red Tape For Farmers
Farmers, ranchers, business owners, and others hit hard by the blizzards, cold, and floods of 1997 now have a guide to help them through the maze of government disaster assistance programs.
Farrners' Guide to DisasterAssistance, published by Farmers' Legal Action Group, Inc. (FLAG) in St. Paul, Minnesota, with funding from FARM AID, provides detailed information about more than a dozen different government programs.
"We're concerned that thousands of farmers may miss critical deadlines for some of the most important disaster relief programs," explained Randi Roth, an attorney and FLAG's executive director.
"The difficulty in dealing with all of these programs is that it is too easy to become discouraged," said Carolyn Mugar, executive director of FARM AID. "Farmers, small businesses, and farm suppliers need to know how they can cut through the red tape and get the relief they deserve under federal law. The Guide shows them how."
According to FLAG, numerous programs are administered or affected by a variety of federal agencies, including the Farm Service Agency (FSA), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the Small Business Administration (SBA). Each has its own rules and regulations. With more than 200 pages, the Guide describes these programs and their eligibility criteria, deadlines, and application procedures and explains what to do if applicants are turned down.
"Much of the money available for disaster assistance is still out there," said Roth, "but people have to dig through the mountains of government forms and red tape to get it."
"FLAG lawyers have worked for months unraveling the maze of government programs so farmers wouldn't have to," said Mugar. "The Guide is an essential tool for farmers and other rural people."
Founded in 1986, FLAG is a nonprofit, tax-exempt law center that provides legal and technical assistance to farmers, ranchers, farm advocates, and attorneys.
The Guide is available for $18 to farmers, ranchers, and nonprofit organizations. This reduced rate is made possible by grants received from FARM AID, Operation USA, the Northwest Area Foundation, and the Legal Services Advisory Committee. The cost for attorneys, libraries, and others is $40. (Minnesota family farmers who cannot afford the guide may request that FLAG send it to them at no cost. Financially distressed Minnesota farmers may call Farmers' Legal Action Group, Inc. at 1-800-233-4534 for information about their rights.) Orders should be sent to: FLAG, Disaster Guide, 46 East 4th Street, Suite 1301, St. Paul, Minnesota, 55101.
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