Farmers across the Northeast are eligible for federal disaster aid in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, US Department of Agriculture officials have announced.

Last week, a late-season tropical storm that coalesced into a hurricane in the Northeast made landfall in the United Sates. Traveling across the mid Atlantic, Hurricane Sandy hit New York and New Jersey hardest, leaving dozens dead and thousands without power.

In preparation for Sandy, President Barack Obama declared a preemptive state of emergency, allowing emergency officials across the mid Atlantic to have ready access to federal resources.

While Sandy appears to have avoided doing significant damage to farmers in the region, they will still be eligible for federal disaster aid, USDA officials report. President Obama’s disaster declaration makes Northeastern farmers able to apply for low-interest disaster loans and federal grants.

Federal officials are contacting the Obama administration to guarantee that their states will receive aid. Massachusetts Senator John Kerry, for example, requested that the Small Business Administration set aside money to Massachusetts business owners affected by the storm.

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Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer