Farm Service Agency (FSA) State Executive Director Dan Steinkruger announced that an additional 15 counties have been designated as primary natural disaster areas due to the ongoing drought affecting Nebraska.

Those counties are: Adams, Boyd, Burt, Butler, Clay, Colfax, Cuming, Dakota, Dodge, Hamilton, Polk, Saunders, Thurston, Webster and York

This brings the total number of Nebraska counties with a primary designation to 76. In addition, the following 10 contiguous counties also become eligible for disaster programs: Cass, Douglas, Fillmore, Lancaster, Nuckolls, Saline, Sarpy, Seward, Thayer and Washington

A current Nebraska map listing the approved counties is available on the Nebraska FSA website at www.fsa.usda.gov/ne.

In response to the expanding ongoing drought conditions affecting crop and livestock producers across Nebraska, USDA has implemented various actions and programs. Specifically, counties have been allowed to emergency hay and graze CRP acres and Emergency (EM) Loans are authorized for eligible producers. Steinkruger stated, “As conditions continue to deteriorate, producers are encouraged to contact their local FSA Service Center for detailed information about available programs and updated Secretarial disaster designations.”

USDA has responded to drought conditions by reducing EM loan interest rates, reducing CRP payment reductions and expanding the list of practices eligible for CRP haying and grazing. In addition, Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) acres are available for modification in response to drought conditions.

In addition to the Emergency (EM) Loan Program, the FSA has other loan programs and disaster assistance programs which can be considered in assisting farmers to recover from their losses.

Contact your local FSA Service Center or access additional information about FSA Disaster Assistance and Farm Loan programs at www.fsa.usda.gov.

While this release pertains to the availability of FSA programs, other federal agencies such as FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) and SBA (Small Business Administration) may also have assistance to the public. Information is available from these two agencies at the following websites: www.fema.gov and www.sba.gov.