SE Iowa Counties Agricultural Disaster Areas

Keokuk, IA – The United States Department of Agriculture has designated 26 Iowa counties as agricultural disaster areas. After a summer of little rainfall and high temperatures, 16 counties including Lee, Henry, Des Moines, Louisa, and Van Buren, have been classified as primary disaster areas. Ten others were designated because of their proximity to the affected primary counties. Henry County farm loan manager Garry Movall says farmers in these counties are eligible for emergency loans through their local farm service agencies. He says a seven-year-loan with an interest rate of under 4% is available to those that experienced a 30% crop loss. Farmers have an 8 month window to apply for the emergency loans.