Nov 25, 2024

FEMA designates counties in Missouri, Kansas as disaster areas

Posted Nov 25, 2024 11:30 AM
Photo National Service
Photo National Service

TOPEKA — Emergency loans are available to help Kansans who had losses from storms last spring.

Last week, the Federal Emergency Management Agency designated 13 counties as natural disaster areas due to severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding on May 19.

The counties are Barton, Ellsworth, Harvey, Hodgeman, Lincoln, Morris, Ottawa, Pawnee, Reno, Russell, Stafford, Wabaunsee, and Wyandotte.

In additionn, neighboring counties Butler, Chase, Clay, Cloud, Dickinson, Edwards, Ellis, Finney, Ford, Geary, Johnson, Kingman, Leavenworth, Lyon, McPherson, Marion, Mitchell, Ness, Osage, Osborne, Pottawatomie, Pratt, Riley, Saline, Sedgwick, and Shawnee.

Contiguous counties of Platte, Clay and Jackson in Missouri are also eligible.   

The loans can be used to meet various recovery needs, like replacing essential items, including equipment or livestock, reorganizing a farming operation, or refinancing certain debts. FSA will review the loans based on the extent of losses, security available, and repayment ability.

This Presidential disaster declaration allows the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) to extend much-needed emergency credit to producers recovering from natural disasters through emergency loans. Emergency loans can be used to meet various recovery needs including the replacement of essential items such as equipment or livestock, reorganization of a farming operation, or to refinance certain debts. FSA will review the loans based on the extent of losses, security available, and repayment ability. 

The deadline to apply is April 21, 2025.

On farmers.gov, the Disaster Assistance Discovery ToolDisaster 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.