WAUSAU, WI (WTAQ) – A disaster declaration Governor Walker has requested for central Wisconsin ginseng farmers may not help a lot of people.
Walker is asking the U.S. Department of Agriculture for a “Secretarial Disaster Designation” for growers in Marathon, Lincoln, and Langlade counties.
The move is meant to help recover from crop losses in May. Frost and a late freeze caused ginseng farmers to lose 28 percent of their crops, and half their seeds.
Hsu’s Ginseng vice president Will Hsu says this sort of loan is a loan of last resort.
“If a bank is willing to loan you money to help you recover from this disaster, you will not qualify for this type of federal aid,” said Hsu.
He says that severely curtails the amount of aid that will be coming to the area. There’s been no word from the USDA or Secretary Tom Vilsack about the progress of the request.
(Story courtesy of Wheeler News Service)