By Scout Nelson
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated seven Nebraska counties as natural disaster areas due to ongoing severe drought conditions. This declaration enables the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) to provide emergency loans to producers facing drought-related losses.
“This Secretarial natural disaster designation 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.”
Producers in the primary and surrounding counties are now eligible for support. Emergency loans can be used for multiple recovery needs such as replacing equipment or livestock, refinancing debts, or reorganizing operations. The FSA will assess applications based on loss extent, collateral, and repayment capability.
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, counties qualifying for assistance have experienced either D2 (Severe Drought) conditions for eight consecutive weeks or D3-D4 (Extreme to Exceptional Drought) during the growing season.
Primary Counties in Nebraska Include:
Banner, Box Butte, Cherry, Dawes, Scotts Bluff, Sheridan, and Sioux.
Contiguous Eligible Counties Include:
- Nebraska: Blaine, Brown, Cheyenne, Garden, Grant, Hooker, Keya Paha, Kimball, Morrill, Thomas
- South Dakota: Bennett, Fall River, Oglala Lakota, Todd, Tripp
- Wyoming: Goshen, Laramie, Niobrara
The disaster was designated under the USDA’s “Fast Track” drought classification, allowing for quicker access to financial assistance. The deadline to apply for emergency loans is December 9, 2025.
This designation aims to provide timely relief to rural communities impacted by prolonged drought, helping to ensure the continuation of agricultural operations and long-term recovery.
Photo Credit:gettyimages-zhuda
Categories: Nebraska, Crops, Wheat, Weather