The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) designated counties in Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico to qualify for federal disaster assistance for farmers and ranchers adversely affected by drought, reports Southwest Farm Press.
In all, 156 of Texas’ 254 counties were included in the disaster declaration. But farmers and ranchers in an additional 44 contiguous Texas counties also qualify for federal relief, as do 14 contiguous counties in Oklahoma and seven contiguous counties in New Mexico.
Farmers and ranchers in the designated counties are now eligible for low interest emergency loans from USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA), provided eligibility requirements are met. Farm operators have eight months from the date of the declaration to apply for loans to help cover part of their actual losses.
Contact your local USDA Service Centers for eligibility requirements and application procedures. Additional information is also available online at http://disaster.fsa.usda.gov.