USDA says 45 Mississippi counties have been affected by drought

• A Secretarial disaster designated by Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins makes farm operators in the affected counties eligible to be considered for Farm Service Agency emergency loan assistance.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently notified Governor Tate Reeves (R) that 21 counties in Mississippi have been designated as primary natural disaster areas due to recent drought conditions. Another 24 counties were listed among contiguous counties impacted by the disaster.

Mississippi Agriculture and Commerce Commissioner Andy Gipson shared the news Monday, saying, “A very large portion of Mississippi is in a drought situation even at this early stage of the year.”

“I received and am sharing a copy of the USDA’s letter designating a drought disaster in 21 primary counties in Mississippi, plus 24 contiguous counties,” Gipson said. “I encourage you to review this list and visit your local federal Farm Service Agency.”

Deputy Undersecretary Brooke Appleton sent a letter to Reeves on April 10 stating that a Secretarial disaster designated by Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins makes farm operators in the affected counties eligible to be considered for Farm Service Agency emergency loan assistance.

“Farmers in eligible counties have 8 months from the date of a Secretarial disaster declaration to apply for emergency loans,” Appleton wrote. “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.”

The Mississippi counties included as primary disaster areas are:

• Adams
• Amite
• Bolivar
• Calhoun
• Claiborne
• Coahoma
• Copiah
• Franklin
• Greene
• Grenada
• Jefferson
• Lafayette
• Leflore
• Lincoln
• Panola
• Perry
• Quitman
• Sunflower
• Tallahatchie
• Wilkinson
• Yalobusha

The 24 contiguous counties are:

• Carroll
• Chickasaw
• Forrest
• George
• Hinds
• Holmes
• Humphreys
• Jones
• Lawrence
• Marshall
• Montgomery
• Pike
• Pontotoc
• Rankin
• Simpson
• Stone
• Tate
• Tunica
• Union
• Walthall
• Warren
• Washington
• Wayne and Webster

“Unless we receive significant rainfall soon, I expect the drought-affected county list may grow,” said Ag Commissioner Gipson. “Pray for all our farmers!”