Long Island Shellfish Growers Gain Access to Federal Disaster Aid
New York oyster growers battered by this winter’s severe weather will now have access to federal disaster assistance after the US Department of Agriculture approved a Secretarial Disaster Designation for Suffolk County.
Governor Kathy Hochul announced the designation Tuesday, making aquaculture operations in Suffolk and neighboring Nassau County eligible for low-interest emergency loans through the USDA’s Farm Service Agency.
The designation follows heavy snowfall, prolonged freezing temperatures and widespread ice formation in February that prevented shellfish growers from accessing harvesting areas and damaged...
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