Farmers in Lancaster County and a dozen other Nebraska counties are now eligible to apply for federal emergency loans because of worsening drought conditions.
Governor Jim Pillen announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has designated Lancaster and Saline counties as primary disaster areas. Eleven neighboring counties are also covered by the designation: Butler, Cass, Fillmore, Gage, Jefferson, Johnson, Otoe, Saunders, Seward, Thayer and York.
The designation allows eligible farmers and agricultural producers to seek emergency loan assistance through the USDA Farm Service Agency.
Pillen said the latest federal action expands the number of Nebraska counties where producers can obtain financial assistance for drought-related losses during the growing season. He also thanked U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins for responding to the needs of Nebraska producers.
The USDA approved similar drought assistance for 13 counties in central and western Nebraska in May. That earlier designation covered Keya Paha, Logan and Rock counties as primary disaster areas, along with 10 contiguous counties.
Farmers have eight months from the date of the applicable disaster declaration to apply for emergency loans. Additional eligibility and application information is available through local Farm Service Agency offices.