Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Emergency Loans To Be Available To Countians

The USDA's Farm Services Agency has agreed to make emergency loans available to 29 counties in Arkansas that were affected by last month's snow storms, U.S. Senator Blanche Lincoln has announced.

Family farmers who have suffered "severe physical loss" to their property will be eligible for the loans, according to Lincoln.

"We're bringing together a network of assistance for the Arkansans who've suffered losses from these storms," Lincoln said. "These loans, combined with aid previously released by the Natural Resources Conservation Service, will help producers in southern Arkansas get back on their feet."

Loans will be released to those who qualify in the following 18 counties: Clark, Bradley, Calhoun, Cleveland, Columbia, Hempstead, Hot Spring, Howard, Lafayette, Lincoln, Little River, Miller, Ouachita, Nevada, Pike, Polk, Sevier and Union.

In addition, farmers in 11 other Arkansas counties may qualify for FSA emergency physical loss loan assistance.

They include Arkansas, Ashley, Dallas, Desha, Drew, Garland, Grant, Jefferson, Montgomery, Saline and Scott.

Loan applications will be accepted through October 18.

Farmers should contact their regional FSA office for more information.

Lincoln has been working with various agencies, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture to secure assistance for producers who lost chickens and had property damaged during the snowfall from January 26 through January 29.

She has contacted Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman and urged him to make a quick decision on a disaster declaration for affected areas in Arkansas. Gov. Huckabee submitted a formal request to the administration last month.