USDA Designates 18 South Dakota Counties as Natural Disaster Areas Due to Severe Drought
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has officially designated 18 counties in South Dakota as natural disaster areas. This designation is a direct response to severe drought conditions that have impacted these regions. The U.S. Drought Monitor indicated that these counties experienced a drought intensity of D2 (Severe Drought) for eight or more consecutive weeks, or D3 (Extreme Drought) or D4 (Exceptional Drought) during the growing season. This declaration allows the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) to provide emergency loans to agricultural producers affected by the drought. These loans are intended to assist with various recovery needs, including replacing essential items like equipment or livestock, reorganizing farming operations, or refinancing certain debts. The FSA will evaluate loan applications based on the extent of losses, available security, and repayment capability. Additionally, several contiguous counties in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, and South Dakota are also eligible for assis...
