USDA Designates Texas Ag Disaster Counties

WASHINGTON - Jan 25/06 - SNS -- The USDA designated counties in Texas as primary natural disaster areas, making all qualified farm operators eligible for low-interest emergency (EM) loans from USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA).

Hill County was designated as a primary disaster area due to losses caused by drought that occurred from Feb. 1, 2005, through Oct. 24, 2005.

Also eligible because they are contiguous and have sustained production losses due to the same disaster conditions are Bosque, Ellis, Johnson, Limestone, McLennan and Navarro Counties.

Ellis County was designated as a primary disaster area due to losses caused by drought that occurred from Feb. 1, 2005, and continuing.

Also eligible because they are contiguous and have sustained production losses due to the same disaster conditions are Dallas, Henderson, Hill, Johnson, Kaufman, Navarro and Tarrant Counties.

Wilson County was designated as a primary disaster area due to losses caused by drought that occurred from Mar. 20, 2005, through Nov. 14, 2005.

Also eligible because they are contiguous and have sustained production losses due to the same disaster conditions are Atascosa, Bexar, Gonzales, Guadalupe and Karnes Counties.

Frio County was designated as a primary disaster area due to losses caused by drought that occurred from May 1, 2005, through Oct. 24, 2005.

Also eligible because they are contiguous and have sustained production losses due to the same disaster conditions are Atascosa, Dimmit, LaSalle, McMullen, Medina, Uvalde and Zavala Counties.

Parker and Wharton Counties were designated as primary disaster areas due to losses caused by drought that occurred from June 1, 2005, and continuing.

Also eligible because they are contiguous and have sustained production losses due to the same disaster conditions are the following counties:

Austin, Fort Bend, Jackson, Palo Pinto

Brazoria, Hood, Johnson, Tarrant

Colorado, Jack, Matagorda, Wise

Kimble, Mills and San Saba Counties were designated as primary disaster areas due to losses caused by drought that occurred from Sept. 1, 2005, and continuing.

Also eligible because they are contiguous and have sustained production losses due to the same disaster conditions are the following counties:

Brown, Edwards, Kerr, Mason, Sutton

Burnet, Gillespie, Lampasas, Menard

Comanche, Hamilton, Llano, Schleicher

Duval County was designated as a primary disaster area due to losses caused by excessive rain, hail, high winds, lightning and a tornado that occurred on Oct. 27, 2005.

Also eligible because they are contiguous and have sustained production losses due to the same disaster conditions are Brooks, Jim Hogg, Jim Wells, LaSalle, Live Oak, McMullen and Webb Counties.

Jim Wells County was designated as a primary disaster area due to losses caused by excessive rain, flooding, hail, high winds, lightning and a tornado that occurred on Oct. 27, 2005.

Also eligible because they are contiguous and have sustained production losses due to the same disaster conditions are Brooks, Duval, Kleberg, Live Oak, Nueces and San Patricio Counties.

All counties listed above were designated natural disaster areas on Jan. 9, 2006, making all qualified farm operators eligible for EM loans, provided eligibility requirements are met.