Franklin, Walla Walla Counties Designated Natural Disaster Areas

On Thursday, Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue designated Washington’s Franklin and Walla Walla counties as primary natural disaster area. That means producers in those two counties who suffered losses due to recent drought may be eligible for emergency FSA loans.

Thursday’s designation came just a day after the FSA announced they would permit emergency haying and grazing in four central Washington counties.

The natural disaster designation allows FSA to extend much-needed emergency credit to producers recovering from natural disasters. 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 the refinance of certain debts.

In addition, producers in neighboring counties, Adams, Benton, Columbia, Grant, and Whitman, as well as Oregon’s Umatilla are also eligible to apply for emergency loans.

The deadline to apply for these emergency loans is Feb. 25^th.

Farmers may contact their local USDA service center for further information on eligibility requirements and application procedures for these and other programs. Additional information is also available online at the USDA's Website.

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