WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Some Kansas farmers and ranchers can get emergency loans to help with storm losses earlier this year.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has designated 13 counties as natural disaster areas due to severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes, and flooding on May 19.
The counties are Barton, Ellsworth, Harvey, Hodgeman, Lincoln, Morris, Ottawa, Pawnee, Reno, Russell, Stafford, Wabaunsee, and Wyandotte.
However, these neighboring counties are also eligible: Butler, Chase, Clay, Cloud, Dickinson, Edwards, Ellis, Finney, Ford, Geary, Johnson, Kingman, Leavenworth, Lyon, McPherson, Marion, Mitchell, Ness, Osage, Osborne, Pottawatomie, Pratt, Riley, Saline, Sedgwick, and Shawnee.
The presidential disaster declaration allows the United States Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency to extend emergency credit to producers through emergency loans.
The loans can be used to meet various recovery needs, like replacing essential items, including equipment or livestock, reorganizing a farming operation, or refinancing certain debts. FSA will review the loans based on the extent of losses, security available, and repayment ability.
The deadline to apply is April 21, 2025.
Resources
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 individuals and public groups, including government agencies and private nonprofit organizations. To find the FEMA help you need following a disaster event, visit fema.gov/assistance.