U.S. Agriculture Secretary Thomas J. Vilsack has designated 15 Mississippi counties as the primary natural disaster areas for a drought (Fast Track) beginning Oct. 17, 2023.
Producers in Bolivar, Calhoun, Chickasaw, Clarke, Coahoma, Kemper, Lafayette, Lauderdale, Oktibbeha, Panola, Quitman, Sunflower, Tunica, Webster and Yalobusha counties who suffered losses caused by this drought may be eligible for U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) emergency loans.
Producers in the contiguous Mississippi counties of Choctaw, Clay, DeSoto, Grenada, Humphreys, Jas-per, Lee, Leflore, Lowndes, Marshall, Monroe, Montgomery, Neshoba, Newton, Noxubee, Pontotoc, Tallahatchie, Tate, Union, Washington, Wayne, and Winston are also eligible to apply for emergency loans.
Farmers qualifying for emergency loans may borrow up to 100% of their actual production loss or the amount needed to restore their operation to its pre-disaster condition, whichever is less, or refinance certain debts. FSA will review the loans based on the extent of losses, security available and repayment ability.
The deadline to apply for these emergency loans is June 24, 2024.
FSA has a variety of additional programs to help farmers recover from the impacts of this disaster.
FSA programs that do not require a disaster declaration include: Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program; Emergency Conservation Program; Livestock Forage Disaster Program; Livestock Indemnity Program; Operating and Farm Ownership Loans; and the Tree Assistance Program.
Farmers may contact their local USDA service center for further information on eligibility requirements and application procedures for these and other programs.
Additional information is also available online at www.farmers.gov/recover.
