USDA Designates Seven Texas Counties as Natural Disaster Areas

This Secretarial natural disaster designation 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.

According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, these counties suffered from a drought intensity value during the growing season of 1) D2 Drought-Severe for 8 or more consecutive weeks or 2) D3 Drought-Extreme or D4 Drought-Exceptional.

Triggering Disaster #1: Drought (Fast-Track)

Impacted Area: Texas

Application Deadline: March 10, 2027

Primary Counties Eligible: Castro, Collingsworth, Deaf Smith, Hartley, Oldham, and Parmer

Contiguous Counties Also Eligible: Bailey, Childress, Dallam, Donley, Gray, Hale, Hall, Lamb, Moore, Potter, Randall, Sherman, Swisher, and Wheeler

• New Mexico: Curry, Quay, and Union
• Oklahoma: Beckham and Harmon

Triggering Disaster #2: Drought (Fast-Track)

Impacted Area: Texas

Application Deadline: March 10, 2027

Primary County Eligible: Gregg

Contiguous Counties Also Eligible: Harrison, Rusk, Smith, and Upshur

• New Mexico: Lea and Union
• Oklahoma: Beckham, Cimarron, Ellis, Roger Mills, and Texas

Triggering Disaster #3: Drought (Fast-Track)

Impacted Area: Louisiana

Application Deadline: March 1, 2027

Primary Parish Eligible: Calcasieu

Contiguous Parishes/Counties Also Eligible: Beauregard, Cameron, and Jefferson Davis

• Texas: Newton and Orange

Triggering Disaster #4: Drought (Fast-Track)

Impacted Area: New Mexico

Application Deadline: March 1, 2027

Primary Counties Eligible: Harding, Mora, and Quay

Contiguous Counties Also Eligible: Colfax, Curry, De Baca, Guadalupe, Rio Arriba, Roosevelt, San Miguel, Santa Fe, Taos, and Union

• Texas: Deaf Smith, Hartley, and Oldham

More Resources

On farmers.gov, the Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool, Disaster 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.