Farmers and ranchers in Reagan, Sterling and Terrell counties in Texas, who suffered losses and damages caused by a recent drought, are eligible to apply for Farm Service Agency (FSA) emergency loans, which were made available after a disaster declaration.
The loans are available under authority of U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue.
Farmers and ranchers in the contiguous counties of Brewster, Coke, Crockett, Glasscock, Howard, Irion, Midland, Mitchell, Pecos, Tom Green, Upton and Val Verde in Texas are also eligible.
The deadline for farmers and ranchers in designated primary and contiguous counties to apply for emergency loans to help cover part of their actual losses is Feb. 15, 2019.
FSA will consider each loan application on its own merits, taking into account the extent of losses, security available and repayment ability. FSA has a variety of programs, in addition to the emergency loan program, to help eligible farmers and ranchers recover from the impacts of this disaster.
Other FSA programs that can provide assistance, but may not require a disaster declaration, include: Operating and Farm Ownership Loans; the Emergency Conservation Program; Livestock Forage Disaster Program; Livestock Indemnity Program; Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program; and the Tree Assistance Program.
Interested farmers and ranchers may contact their local U.S. Department of Agriculture service centers for further information on eligibility requirements and application procedures for these and other programs.
Additional information is also available online at https://www.farmers.gov.