Area farmers qualify for assistance due to drought conditions

Farmers in more than 50 Arkansas counties are now eligible for assistance through the U.S. Department of Agriculture due to drought conditions this summer.  The list includes 24 counties that have been named as primary disaster areas.  In our region, that list includes Polk County. 

The remaining counties eligible for the drought assistance border the primary disaster counties.  Under that designation, Howard, Pike, Sevier and Montgomery counties also qualify.

The designation means that farmers in the affected counties are eligible for assistance through emergency loans, the  Emergency Conservation Program, Emergency Forest Restoration Program, Livestock Forage Program, Livestock Indemnity Program, Emergency Livestock Assistance and Non-Insured Crop Assistance Program.

Farmers have eight months from the date of the designation to apply for emergency loans and should contact their local USDA Farm Service Agency to learn more.