As a result of severe storms this season, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has declared 22 Texas counties as primary natural disaster areas.
This Presidential disaster declaration allows the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) to extend much-needed emergency credit to producers recovering from natural disasters through emergency loans.
Emergency loans can be used to meet various recovery needs including the replacement of essential items such as equipment or livestock, reorganization of a farming operation, or to refinance certain debts. FSA will review the loans based on the extent of losses, security available, and repayment ability.
The trigger for Disaster 1 is severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding beginning April 26, 2024 and continuing.
The application deadline is January 17, 2025.
Primary counties eligible for relief are Harris, Liberty, Montgomery, Polk, San Jacinto, Trinity and Walker. Contiguous counties also eligible include Angelina, Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Grimes, Hardin, Houston, Jefferson, Madison, Tyler and Waller.
The trigger for Disaster 2 is severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding beginning April 26, 2024 and continuing.
Application deadline is January 21, 2025.
Primary counties eligible include Eastland, Hardin, Jasper, Jones, Lamar and Waller. Contiguous counties also available include Angelina, Austin, Brown, Callahan, Comanche, Delta, Erath, Fannin, Fisher, Fort Bend, Grime, Harris, Haskell, Jefferson, Liberty, Montgomery, Newton, Nolan, Orange, Palo Pinto, Polk, Red River, Sabine, San Augustine, Shackelford, Stephens, Stonewall, Taylor, Tyler and Washington. In Oklahoma, Bryan and Choctaw counties are eligible.
The trigger for Disaster 3 is severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding beginning April 26, 2024 and continuing.
Application deadline is January 22, 2025.
Primary counties eligible include Callahan and Guadalupe. Contiguous counties also eligible include Aransas, Bexar, Caldwell, Comal, Gonzales, Hays, Jackson, Matagorda, Refugio, Victoria and Wilson.
Trigger for Disaster 4 is severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding beginning April 26, 2024 and continuing.
Applicatoin deadline is January 27, 2025.
Primary counties eligible include Collin, Cooke, Denton and Montague. Contiguous counties also eligible include Clay, Dallas, Fannin, Grayson, Hunt, Jack, Rockwall, Tarrant and Wise.
In Oklahoma, Bryan and Choctaw counties are included.
The trigger for Disaster 5 is severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding beginning April 26, 2024 and continuing.
Application deadline is January 29, 2025.
Primary counties eligible include Bell, Henderson and Tyler. Contiguous counties also eligible include Anderson, Angelina, Burnet, Cherokee, Coryell, Ellis Falls, Freestone, Hardin, Jasper, Kaufman, Lampasas, McLennan, Milam, Navarro, Polk, Smith, Van Zandt and Williamson.
Numerous resources on farmers.gov (like the Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool, Disaster Assistance-at-a-Glance fact sheet and Loan Assistance Tool) can guide interested parties through the program and loan options.
To file a Notice of Loss or to ask questions about available programs, contact your local USDA Service Center.
Meanwhile, producers affected by hail, high winds and tornadoes in this spring’s storms can apply for low-interest physical loss loans, thanks to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Physical loss loans through the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) can help producers repair or replace damaged or destroyed physical property essential to the success of the agricultural operation, including livestock losses.
Examples of property commonly affected include essential farm buildings, fixtures to real estate, equipment, livestock, perennial crops, fruit and nut bearing trees and harvested or stored crops and hay.
The trigger for Disaster 1 is hail, high winds and a tornado that occurred on May 12, 2024 through May 29, 2024.
Application deadline is February 10, 2025.
The primary county eligible is Bell, with contiguous counties being Burnet, Coryell, Falls, Lampasas, McLennan, Milam and Williamson.
Triggering Disaster 2 is tornado and high winds that occurred on May 16, 2024.
Application deadline is February 10, 2025.
Primary counties eligible include Austin, Harris and Waller. Contiguous counties also eligible include Brazoria, Chambers, Colorado, Fayette, Fort Bend, Galveston, Grimes, Liberty, Montgomery, Washington and Wharton.
Triggering Disaster 3 is a tornado that occurred on May 25, 2024, through May 26, 2024
Application deadline is February 10, 2025.
Primary counties eligible include Collin, Cooke, Denton and Montague. Contiguous counties also eligible include Clay, Dallas, Fannin, Grayson, Hunt, Jack, Rockwall, Tarrant and Wise.
In Oklahoma, Jefferson, Love and Marshall counties are also eligible.
On farmers.gov, the Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool, Disaster Assistance-at-a-Glance fact sheet, and Loan Assistance Tool can help you determine program or loan options. To file a
Notice of Loss or to ask questions about available programs, contact your local USDA Service Center.
FEMA offers different assistance programs for individual citizens, public groups including government agencies and private nonprofit organizations. To find the FEMA help you need following a disaster event, visit fema.gov/assistance.