The Secretary of Agriculture Designates 8 Parishes in Louisiana as Natural Disaster Areas Due to a Recent Drought with contiguous counties in Arkansas and Texas

AGENCY: United States Department of Agriculture

A Secretarial disaster designation makes farm operators in primary parishes and those areas contiguous to such primary parishes eligible to be considered for Farm Service Agency (FSA) emergency loan assistance, provided eligibility requirements are met. Farmers in eligible areas have 8 months from the date of a Secretarial disaster declaration to apply for emergency loans. FSA considers each emergency loan application on its own merits, taking into account the extent of production losses on the farm and the security and repayment ability of the operator.

Local FSA offices can provide affected farmers with further information.

Impacted Area: Louisiana

Triggering Disaster: Drought (Fast-Track) beginning February 3, 2026

Application Deadline: December 24, 2026

Primary Counties Eligible:

• Louisiana: Bossier, Caddo, Claiborne, Jefferson, Richland, St. Martin, Vernon, and Webster Parishes

Contiguous Counties Also Eligible:

• Arkansas: Columbia, Lafayette, Miller, and Union

• Louisiana: Allen, Assumption, Beauregard, Bienville, Caldwell, DeSoto, East Carroll, Franklin, Iberia, Iberville, Lafayette, Lafourche, Lincoln, Madison, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Orleans, Ouachita, Plaquemines, Pointe Coupee, Rapides, Red River, Sabine, St. Charles, St. Landry, St. Mary, Union, and West Carroll Parishes

• Texas: Cass, Harrison, Marion, Newton, and Panola

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 individual citizens, public groups including government agencies and private nonprofit organizations. To find the FEMA help you need following a disaster event, visit fema.gov/assistance.

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