Local farmers and ranchers may be eligible for emergency loans

Farmers and ranchers in Howard County may be eligible for emergency loans through the U.S. Department of Agriculture after a recent drought disaster declaration in Arkansas.

A total of 20 Arkansas counties were listed under the drought disaster declaration issued by the USDA. The primary eligible counties within the region are Sevier, Little River and Hempstead. As a neighboring county, farmers and ranchers in Howard are also able to apply for the federal emergency loan program. Pike County is also listed as “contiguous” county in the declaration, meaning producers residing in this area may also apply.

The Emergency loan program is triggered when a natural disaster is designated by the Secretary of Agriculture or a natural disaster or emergency is declared by the President under the Stafford Act. These loans help producers who suffer qualifying farm related losses directly caused by the disaster in a county declared or designated as a primary disaster or quarantine area. Also, farmers located in counties that are contiguous to the declared, designated, or quarantined area may qualify for Emergency loans.

The deadline to apply for an emergency loan is Dec. 8.

For more information as well as application forms, visit the Farm Service Agency website at www.fsa.usda.gov or contact your nearest Farm Service Agency. Residents of Howard County can call the Texarkana-based Farm Service Agency at (870) 330-3134. Residents of Polk and Sevier Counties can call the De Queen-based Farm Service Agency at (870) 584-3111.