Lonoke and White counties are among seven designated by the USDA as primary natural disaster areas due to losses caused by excessive rain, flooding, hail, high winds and lightning that occurred since March 8 and onward, according to USDA spokeswoman Linda Newkirk.
Another 21 Arkansas counties also qualify for natural disaster assistance because they are contiguous with the primary disaster counties.
That would include Faulkner, Prairie, Arkansas and Pulaski counties.
Qualified farm operators in all those counties are thus eligible for low-interest emergency loans from USDA’s Farm Service Agency, provided eligibility requirements are met.
They have eight months from the July 13 disaster declaration to apply for loans to help cover part of their actual loses.
FSA has other programs to help eligible farmers recover from adversity.
Programs that can provide assistance, but don’t require a disaster declaration, include Emergency Conservation Program, Livestock Forage Disaster Program, Livestock indemnity Program, emergency assistance for livestock, honeybees and farm-raised fish program.
