USDA Designates Ag Disaster Counties

WASHINGTON - Feb 17/06 - SNS -- The USDA designated counties in Massachusetts, Oregon and 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).

Massachusetts

In Massachusetts, Bristol and Plymouth Counties were designated as primary disaster areas due to losses caused by drought that occurred from June 1, 2005, through Sept. 30, 2005.

Also eligible because they are contiguous and have sustained production losses due to the same disaster conditions are Barnstable, Norfolk and Suffolk Counties.

In Oregon, Hood River County was designated as a primary disaster area due to losses caused by excessive rain that occurred from June 6, 2005, through June 8, 2005, and from June 27, 2005, through June 29, 2005.

Also eligible because they are contiguous and have sustained production losses due to the same disaster conditions are Clackamas, Multnomah and Wasco Counties.

Sherman County was designated as a primary disaster area due to losses caused by drought that occurred in the 2005 crop year.

Also eligible because they are contiguous and have sustained production losses due to the same disaster conditions are Gilliam and Wasco Counties.

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

Also eligible because they are contiguous and have sustained production losses due to the same disaster conditions are Bexar, Kendall, Kerr, Medina, Real and Uvalde Counties.

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

Also eligible because they are contiguous and have sustained production losses due to the same disaster conditions are Austin, Fayette, Jackson, Lavaca and Wharton Counties.

Callahan County was designated as a primary disaster area due to losses caused by fire and high winds that occurred from Dec. 26, 2005, and continuing.

Also eligible because they are contiguous and have sustained production losses due to the same disaster conditions are Brown, Coleman, Eastland, Jones, Shackelford and Taylor Counties.

Jack and Washington Counties were designated as primary disaster areas due to losses caused by drought that occurred from Aug. 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.

Archer      Clay        Montague       Wise
Austin      Fayette     Palo Pinto     Young
Brazos      Grimes      Parker
Burleson    Lee         Waller

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

Also eligible because they are contiguous and have sustained production losses due to the same disaster conditions are Bandera, Bexar, Blanco, Comal, Gillespie and Kerr Counties.

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

Also eligible because they are contiguous and have sustained production losses due to the same disaster conditions are Cooke, Denton, Jack, Montague, Parker and Tarrant Counties.

Eligible producers participating in the Conservation Reserve Program in the Texas counties listed above may be authorized emergency haying and grazing acreage, provided eligibility requirements are met.