Published: August 05, 2011

SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans Available in Florida Following Secretary of Agriculture Disaster Declaration

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ATLANTA - (BUSINESS WIRE) - The U.S. Small Business Administration announced today that federal economic injury disaster loans are available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private non-profit organizations of all sizes located in Florida as a result of the drought and excessive heat that began on Jan. 1, 2011.

The SBA's disaster declaration includes the following counties: Bay, Brevard, Calhoun, Charlotte, Escambia, Gadsden, Gulf, Hamilton, Hillsborough, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lake, Lee, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Okaloosa, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Polk, Santa Rosa, Suwannee, Wakulla, Walton and Washington; and contiguous counties: Broward, Collier, Columbia, DeSoto, Franklin, Gilchrist, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Indian River, Lafayette, Manatee, Marion, Martin, Okeechobee, Pasco, Pinellas, Sarasota, Seminole, Sumter Taylor and Volusia in Florida.

"When the Secretary of Agriculture issues a disaster declaration to help farmers recover from damages and losses to crops, the Small Business Administration issues a declaration to eligible entities affected by the same disaster," said Frank Skaggs, director of SBA's Field Operations Center East in Atlanta.

Under this declaration, the SBA's Economic Injury Disaster Loan program is available to eligible farm-related and nonfarm-related entities that suffered financial losses as a direct result of this disaster. With the exception of aquacultural enterprises, agricultural producers, farmers and ranchers are not eligible to apply to SBA, but nurseries are eligible to apply for EIDLs for losses caused by drought conditions.

The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates of 3 percent for private non-profit organizations of all sizes and 4 percent for small businesses, with terms up to 30 years. The SBA determines eligibility based on the size of the applicant, type of activity and its financial resources. Loan amounts and terms are set by the SBA and are based on each applicant's financial condition. These working capital loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills that could have been paid had the disaster not occurred. The loans are not intended to replace lost sales or profits.

Disaster loan information and application forms may be obtained by calling the SBA's Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 (800-877-8339 for the hearing-impaired) Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET or by sending an e-mail to disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. Loan applications can be downloaded from www.sba.gov. Completed applications should be mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155. Those affected by the disaster may also apply for disaster loans electronically from SBA's website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/.

Completed loan applications must be returned to SBA no later than March 29, 2012.

For more information about the SBA's Disaster Loan Program, visit our website at www.sba.gov.

Release Number: 11-628, FL 12726