Cass County eligible for Economic Injury Disaster Loans
“When farmers face crop losses and a disaster is declared by the Secretary of Agriculture, SBA working capital loans become a lifeline for eligible small businesses,” Francisco Sánchez Jr. said.
Berrien County and the adjacent counties of Cass and Van Buren in Michigan, and LaPorte and St. Joseph in Indiana are eligible for Economic Injury Disaster Loans due to frost and freeze damage that occurred on Jan. 15 through March 21, 2024.
The Small Business Administration (SBA) has announced Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) are available to impacted businesses in Michigan and Indiana. The declaration covers Berrien, Cass, and Van Buren counties in Michigan, and LaPorte and St. Joseph counties in Indiana.
The loans aim to provide financial relief to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, aquaculture businesses, and most private nonprofit organizations that suffered economic losses due to the severe weather conditions occurring between January 15 and March 21, 2024.
“When farmers face crop losses and a disaster is declared by the Secretary of Agriculture, SBA working capital loans become a lifeline for eligible small businesses,” said Francisco Sánchez Jr., associate administrator for the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “These loans are the backbone that helps rural communities bounce back and thrive after a disaster strikes.”
While the SBA cannot provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, and ranchers, eligible farm-related and nonfarm-related businesses can apply. The loans can cover various expenses like fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills that would have been manageable without the disaster. Eligibility depends on the applicant’s size, activity type, and financial resources.
The SBA offers loans up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 3.25% for private nonprofit organizations and terms up to 30 years. Interest and payments are not due until 12 months after the first loan disbursement. The SBA bases loan amounts and terms on applicants’ financial conditions.
Although the Disaster Loan Program funds were depleted on October 15, 2024, the SBA continues accepting and processing applications. This proactive approach ensures preparedness for when Congress allocates additional funding.
Interested applicants are encouraged to submit their loan applications promptly through the SBA’s online portal at sba.gov/disaster or by contacting the SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. The deadline for loan submissions is August 11, 2025.
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