Agriculture Notes (23 September 2007)

Loan fund created to help farmersBecause of the severe drought and associated crop losses this year, the Maryland Agricultural and Resource-Based Industry Development Corp. has created a loan fund to help farmers with weather-related income losses.

The 2007 Farm Drought and Weather Event Recovery Assistance Loan Fund offers low-interest operating loans to producers who have suffered significant crop, livestock, feed or dairy losses.

The program helps pay for all or part of production costs associated with the drought, as well as essential family living expenses.

To apply, producers or rural business owners must submit evidence of financial loss due to the 2007 drought or other weather-related event.

The deadline for applications is Dec. 15. For complete application details, call 410-267-6807 or visit www.mar bidco.org.

4-H group begins recycling fundraiser The Carroll County 4-H Youth Development program has begun a paper recycling fundraiser.

Recycling containers have been placed around the county at the Carroll County Extension Office, the County Office Building, all five senior centers, the Union Bridge town hall; the Lehigh Cement plant and the Taneytown, North Carroll and Eldersburg library branches.

The program will accept newspaper, typing paper, junk mail, magazines, catalogs and shredded paper in plastic bags.

Not accepted are phone books, cardboard, food boxes, folders and trash.

The 4-H program receives money, based on weight, from selling the papers to a recycler.