Six parishes declared natural disaster areas

• Advocate Capitol News Bureau
• Published: Nov 3, 2009 - Page: 6A

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Farmers in six parishes running along the Mississippi River and the east border of the state could qualify for financial assistance for flood damages from earlier in the year.

Concordia, East Carroll, Madison, Tensas, and East and West Feliciana parishes have been named natural disaster areas because of their proximity to Mississippi counties that were declared primary disaster areas, according to a news release from the state Department of Agriculture and Forestry.

Farmers in both primary and contiguous parishes who suffered losses from flooding that occurred April 25 through June 25 may be eligible for low-interest emergency loans from the Farm Service Agency.

Farmers in eligible parishes have eight months from the disaster declaration date to apply for the loans.

For additional information, visit http://disaster.fsa.usda.gov or contact a Farm Service Agency office.

Louisiana Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain is still waiting on a decision on a disaster declaration request for parishes affected by drought and excessive rainfall this year, according to the release.

Severe droughts during the early summer reduced yields of cotton, rice, soybeans and sweet potatoes, and excessive rainfall later in September slowed the harvesting process, according to the department.