USDA Designates Louisiana Parishes 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 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 parishes 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: LOUISIANA

Triggering Disaster: Drought (fast track)

Application Deadline April 15, 2024

Primary Parishes Eligible:  Acadia, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Iberia, Lafayette, St. Martin, St. Mary, and Vermilion are primary. 

Contiguous Parishes Also Eligible: Allen, Assumption, Cameron, Evangeline, Iberville, Jefferson Davis, Pointe Coupee, Sabine, St. Landry, Terrebonne, and Vernon parishes

Triggering Disaster 2: Drought (fast track)

Application Deadline: April 22, 2024

Primary Parishes Eligible:  Cameron, Jefferson Davis, Sabine, St. Landry, and Vernon

Contiguous Parishes Also Eligible:

State: Acadia, Allen, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Calcasieu, DeSoto, Evangeline, Iberville, Lafayette, Natchitoches, Pointe Coupee, Rapides, St. Martin, and Vermilion

Triggering Disaster 3: Drought (fast track)

Application Deadline: April 29, 2024 

Primary Parishes Eligible:  Allen, Ascension, Assumption, Avoyelles, Catahoula, Concordia, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Evangeline, Grant, Iberville, Jefferson, Lafourche, LaSalle, Livingston, Natchitoches, Orleans, Plaquemines, Pointe Coupee, Rapides, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. John the Baptist, Terrebonne, West Baton Rouge, and West Feliciana

Contiguous Parishes Also Eligible:

State: Acadia, Beauregard, Bienville, Caldwell, Concordia, DeSoto, East Feliciana, Franklin, Iberia, Jefferson Davis, Red River, Sabine, St. Helena, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Tensas, Vernon, West Feliciana and Winn

Triggering Disaster 4: Drought (fast track) 

Application Deadline: May 6, 2024  

Primary Parishes Eligible: Caldwell, DeSoto, Franklin, Ouachita, Red River, Richland, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Tensas, Washington, and Winn  

Contiguous Parishes Also Eligible: 

State: Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Catahoula, Concordia, East Carroll, Grant, Jackson, LaSalle, Lincoln, Livingston, Madison, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Orleans, Sabine, St. Helena, St. John the Baptist, Union, and West Carroll 

Triggering Disaster 5: Drought (fast track) 

Application Deadline: May 6, 2024  

Primary Parishes Eligible: Caldwell, DeSoto, Franklin, Ouachita, Red River, Richland, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Tensas, Washington, and Winn  

Contiguous Parishes Also Eligible: 

State: Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Catahoula, Concordia, East Carroll, Grant, Jackson, LaSalle, Lincoln, Livingston, Madison, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Orleans, Sabine, St. Bernard, St. Helena, St. John the Baptist, Tangipahoa, Union, Washington, and West Carroll 

Triggering Disaster 6: Drought (fast track) 

Application Deadline: May 13, 2024  

Primary Parishes Eligible: Caddo and Jackson 

Contiguous Parishes Also Eligible: 

State: Bienville, Bossier, Caldwell, DeSoto, Lincoln, Ouachita, Red River, and Winn 

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.