In spite of the return of beneficial rains across the Southwest in 2014, persistent drought continued to plague farmers and ranchers across a broad area of the region causing hardships and significant agricultural losses for many.

United States Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced Wednesday (Jan. 7) that USDA has designated a number of counties in Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico qualified for federal disaster assistance after an official disaster declaration was signed by President Obama this week making assistance available to agriculture producers adversely affected by drought.

In all, 156 of Texas' 254 counties were included in the disaster declaration. But farmers and ranchers in an additional 44 contiguous Texas counties also qualify for federal relief as do 14 contiguous counties in Oklahoma and seven contiguous counties in New Mexico.

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"Our hearts go out to those Texas farmers and ranchers affected by recent natural disasters," said Secretary Vilsack who made the announcement. "President Obama and I are committed to ensuring that agriculture remains a bright spot in our nation’s economy by sustaining the successes of America’s farmers, ranchers, and rural communities through these difficult times."

All the farmers and ranchers in the affected counties are now eligible for low interest emergency loans from USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA), provided eligibility requirements are met. Farm operators have eight months from the date of the declaration to apply for loans to help cover part of their actual losses.

"We’re also telling Texas producers that USDA stands with you and your communities when severe weather and natural disasters threaten to disrupt your livelihood," Vilsack said.

According to federal program guidelines, FSA will consider each loan application on its own merits, taking into account the extent of losses, security available and repayment ability. FSA has a variety of programs, in addition to the emergency loan program, to help eligible farmers recover from disaster-related adversity.

Other programs

Additional programs available to assist farmers and ranchers include the Emergency Conservation Program, the Livestock Forage Disaster Program, the Livestock Indemnity Program, the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program, and the Tree Assistance Program. Interested farmers may contact their local USDA Service Centers for further information on eligibility requirements and application procedures for these and other programs. Additional information is also available online at http://disaster.fsa.usda.gov.

The Farm Service Agency provides assistance for natural disaster losses, resulting from drought, flood, fire, freeze, tornadoes, pest infestation, and other calamities.

The Agricultural Act of 2014 indefinitely extended the following four disaster programs previously authorized by the 2008 farm law. The programs are made retroactive to Oct. 1, 2011. To be eligible for disaster assistance programs under the 2014 law, producers are no longer required to purchase crop insurance or NAP coverage, which was the risk management purchase mandate under the 2008 farm bill.

USDA's Farm Service Agency provides emergency loans to help producers who own or operate in a county declared by the President or designated by the Secretary of Agriculture as a primary disaster area or quarantine area. All counties contiguous to declared, designated, or quarantined primary counties also are eligible for Emergency loans.

Emergency loan funds can be used to restore or replace essential property, pay all or part of production costs associated with the disaster year, pay essential family and living expenses, reorganize certain debts (excluding real estate).

The maximum loan amount for an Emergency loan is $500,000.

Affected Counties

Affected Texas counties include:

Farmers and ranchers in the following counties in Texas also qualify for natural disaster assistance because their counties are contiguous. Those counties are:

Farmers and ranchers in the following counties in New Mexico and Oklahoma also qualify for natural disaster assistance because their counties are contiguous. Those counties are:

New Mexico

Oklahoma