In Brief for July 23
After severe storms and incidents of flooding June 1, Warren, Lincoln and Montgomery county residents may apply for disaster loans from the Farm Service Agency (FSA).
Applications for assistance will be accepted at the Pike County FSA office for physical and production losses caused by this disaster. Applications will be accepted through March 2.Loans for physical losses must be used to replace or repair damage to buildings or fences or to compensate the farmer for losses of basic livestock, stored crops, supplies on hand, equipment or other items lost because of the disaster.
Loans for production losses may be used to buy feed, seed, fertilizer or livestock or to make payments on real estate or chattel debts.
Generally, loans for production losses cannot be approved until crop have completed their production cycle or have been harvested.
To qualify, a farmer must have suffered a 30 percent loss in production or an actual physical loss that was essential to the successful operation of the farm.
Loans for actual losses are made at an interest rate of 3.75 percent for emergency loans to eligible applicants who are unable to obtain the actual credit needed from another source.
Farmers in St. Charles, Audrain, Clark, Franklin, Knox, Lewis, Marion, Monroe, Pike, Ralls, St. Louis, Scotland and Shelby counties also may apply.
The Pike County FSA Office is located at 1220 S. Business 61 in Bowling Green. The phone number is 573-324-3313, ext. 2.
Police encourage motorists to buckle up
The Warrenton Police Department participated in the national Click It or Ticket mobilization May 19-June 1. During the effort, officers issued 132 traffic tickets, including seven safety belt tickets, 90 speed tickets and 35 other traffic violations.
"Safety belts are your single best defense in a crash," said Warrenton Police Chief Davis Bernard. "Law enforcement will continue to encourage drivers to make a simple, smart choice to buckle up and arrive alive."
Funding for the effort was provided through a grant from the Missouri Department of Transportation's Highway Safety Division in cooperation with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Missouri Safety Center.
Obama campaign
to open local office
Sen. Barack Obama's Missouri campaign will open an office in Warrenton on Saturday.
Obama's campaign will open offices in all four corners of Missouri and in many communities where no presidential candidate, Democrat or Republican, has had a presence before.
The Missouri Campaign for Change staff and volunteers will use the statewide locations to build a grassroots organization aimed at bringing Obama's message to Missourians.
More details about the time of the Warrenton office opening was to be released in coming days.
Farm loan programs undergo changes
The new Farm Bill has made some important changes to the Farm Service Agency (FSA) farm loan programs that have already been implemented.
"The maximum load for Direct Farm Operation and Direct Farm Ownership loans has increased from $200,000 to $300,000," according to Bob Noellsch, farm loan manager for Lincoln, Pike, St. Charles and Warren counties.
The Farm Ownership Down Payment Loan program has been expanded to include women, African-Americans, American Indians, Alaskan Natives, Hispanics, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, as well as beginning farmers (have farmed for 10 years or less and do not own real estate that exceeds 30 percent of the average size farm in the county).
Other changes are: the required down payment is reduced from 10 percent to 5 percent; the length of the FSA loan is extended from 15 years to 20 years; the interest rate is reduced to the Direct Farm Ownership rate less 4 percent or 1.5 percent, whichever is greater; and the maximum loan amount changed from $100,000 to an amount not to exceed 45 percent of the least of the purchase price of the farm, the appraised value of the farm, or $500,000.
Noellsch said the balance of the credit for the farm purchase would still come from another leader or the seller; their loan must be for at least 20 years with a 30-year amortization. The other eligibility requirements remain the same, according to Noellsch. Eligibility requirements include: the purchaser must be the owner and operator of a family-size farm after the loan is made, the purchaser must be unable to get the credit needed for the farm purchase without an FSA loan, must have participated in the business operations of a farm for at least three years, and must have a good credit history.
For more information, contact Noellsch at the Bowling Green FSA Office at 573-324-3313, ext. 2, or e-mail robert.noellsch@mo.usda.gov.
National Guard info may be compromised
The theft of computer hardware containing a list with names, Social Security numbers and military unit of assignments potentially compromised the personal information of up to 2,000 Missouri National Guardmembers.
The Columbia Police Department was investigating the incident.
The Missouri National Guard issued a statement saying it has no reason to believe this personal information will be exploited, but is being proactive to protect those involved. Every soldier and family potentially affected by this information compromise was to be contacted by letter last week.
"I am distressed that sensitive information has been compromised," said Maj. Gen. King Sidwell. "I am especially concerned about the problems and inconvenience this may cause for our Missouri National Guard Citizen-Soldiers and their families."
Missouri National Guard information security procedures are being reviewed and identified weaknesses will be enhanced.
For more information, National Guardmembers and families may contact the established hot line at 888-526-6664, ext. 7888. Deployed soldiers may use the Defense Switching Network at 312-555-9500, ext. 7888.
Detailed information on steps Guardmembers and families can take to protect their personal and financial information is available on the Missouri National Guard Web site at www.moguard.com.
