Agriculture and Aquaculture Producers Emergency Loan Program

The Agriculture and Aquaculture Producers Emergency Loan Program (formerly the Natural Disaster Recovery Loan Program) has been established within the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) to make low-interest or interest-free loans to agricultural and aquaculture producers who have experienced damage from a declared emergency.

Loans may be used to:

• Restore, repair or replace essential physical property, including fences, equipment, greenhouses and other buildings;

• Restock aquaculture; or

• Remove vegetative debris from the property. Any structure or building constructed using loan proceeds must comply with storm-hardening standards as defined in Section 604.50(2), Florida Statutes (F.S.).

• Applicants must own a bona fide farm operation on land classified as agricultural pursuant to Section 193.461, F.S., or lease sovereign submerged land pursuant to Section 597.010, F.S.

• The farm or aquaculture facility must be located in a qualifying county for the applicable declared emergency.

• Applicants must have experienced damage or destruction due to a qualifying disaster.

• If an applicant is not the owner of the property, please have the property owner complete the Authorized Representative Form before applying for a loan.

• Loan funds may only be used to restore, repair or replace essential physical property, remove vegetative debris from essential physical property, or restock aquaculture. A structure or building constructed using loan proceeds must comply with storm-hardening standards for nonresidential farm buildings as defined in Section 604.50(2), F.S.

• You must be at least 18 years old.

• Accepting funds under this program could render an applicant ineligible for financial assistance from other sources; applicants must not unlawfully duplicate assistance (including FEMA and USDA) and must disclose any recovery funds received from other sources.

• You must complete all sections and upload all required documents for your application to be considered complete.

• You can apply up to one year after the date of the declared emergency or until available loan funds are exhausted, whichever occurs first.

Note: As outlined in Florida Statute, an applicant may not receive more than one loan per application period, more than two loans within a 12-month period (based on the date of their first loan application), or more than five loans in any three-year period.

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