Farmers suffering crop devastation from the ongoing drought can now apply for help from the USDA.
Numerous counties throughout the country have been designated by the USDA as primary natural disaster areas, meaning the Farm Service Agency (FSA) has been authorized to issue emergency loans to producers.
Loans are issued depending on the extent of sustained losses, security availability and the ability of growers to repay, according to the FSA.
Emergency loans can be used to cover the cost of replacement equipment or livestock, the reorganization of a farming operation or the refinance of some debts.
The declarations cover large sections of Iowa, Kansas and Oklahoma, as well as counties in other states like Maine, New Hampshire and New York. Determinations of drought are made based on the U.S. Drought Monitor website, which is updated weekly.
Different counties — and adjacent counties eligible to receive FSA loans — have different deadlines for applications.
Strip-tillers interested in applying for the loans, or with questions about them can use the USDA's online tool find their local service center.
What follows is a partial list of counties where no-tillers are eligible for emergency loans announced on Nov. 4. Other counties may be eligible because of earlier declarations.
Iowa:
Farmers in Appanoose, Davis, Henry, Jefferson, Keokuk, Mahaska, Monroe, Van Buren, Wapello and Washington counties have until May 19 to apply for emergency loans.
Farmers in Harrison, Humboldt, and Kossuth counties have until May 26 to apply for emergency loans.
Farmers in Clarke, Iowa, Jasper, Lucas, Madison, Marion, Polk, Poweshiek, Union and Warren counties have until June 5 to apply for emergency loans.
Kansas:
Farmers in Greenwood County, Kansas have until May 26 to apply for emergency loans. This declaration includes the surrounding Butler, Woodson, Chase, Elk and Wilson counties.
Farmers in Anderson, Coffee, Johnson, Linn, Lyon and Wyandotte counties have until June 12 to apply for emergency loans.
Minnesota:
Farmers in Anoka County, as well as the surrounding Chisago, Hennepin, Isanti, Ramsey, Sherburne and Washington counties have until May 26 to apply for emergency loans.
Missouri:
Farmers in Boone, Cooper, Howard and Moniteau counties can apply for emergency loans until June 5.
Farmers in Bates, Carroll, Cass, Clay and Ray counties can apply for emergency loans until June 12.
Montana:
Farmers in Dawson and Prairie counties are eligible to apply until June 5. This declaration includes Custer, Fallon, Garfield, McCone, Richland and Wibaux counties.
Nebraska:
Washington County farmers are eligible to apply for emergency loans until May 26. This declaration includes Burt and Dodge counties.
Farmers in Butler, Dawes, Douglas and Saunders counties are eligible for emergency loans until June 5.
Ohio:
Farmers in Brown and Clermont counties are eligible to receive emergency loans until May 29. This declaration includes Adams, Clinton, Hamilton, Highland and Warren counties in Ohio and Bracken, Campbell, Mason and Pendleton counties in Kentucky.Oklahoma:
Sequoyah County farmers are eligible to apply for emergency loans until May 19. This declaration includes Adair, Cherokee, Haskell, Le Flore and Muskogee counties in Oklahoma, and Crawford and Sebastian counties in Arkansas.
South Dakota:
Farmers in Beadle, Jerauld, Kingsbury and Sanborn counties can apply for emergency loans until June 12. This declaration includes Aurora, Brookings, Brule, Buffalo, Clark, Davison, Hamlin, Hand, Hanson, Like, Miner and Spink counties.
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