USDA Designates Five Idaho Counties as Primary 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 the refinance of 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. 

Impacted Area: Idaho

Triggering Disaster: Drought 

Application Deadline: Jan. 3, 2023 

Primary Counties Eligible: Blaine, Butte, Caribou, Custer and Fremont                                           

Contiguous Counties Also Eligible:

Idaho:

Bannock                             Cassia                  Lincoln

Bear Lake                           Clark                   Madison

Bingham                             Elmore                Minidoka

Boise                                  Franklin               Power

Bonneville                          Jefferson             Teton

Camas                                 Lemhi                  Valley

Montana: Beaverhead, Gallatin and Madison

Wyoming: Lincoln and Teton                                                       

More Resources

On farmers.gov, the Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool, Disaster Assistance-at-a-Glance fact sheet, and Farm Loan Discovery 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.