Department of Agriculture and Forestry, State of Louisiana - Mike Strain DVM, Commissioner

Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain, D.V.M., said six Louisiana parishes have been declared disaster areas due to the flooding of the Mississippi River this past growing season.

Concordia, East Carroll, Madison, Tensas, East Feliciana and West Feliciana were declared disaster areas.

Strain said the disaster designation makes agricultural producers in these parishes eligible for Farm Service Agency (FSA) emergency loans and the Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments (SURE) program.

Producers in these parishes have eight months from the Aug. 8 declaration to apply for the emergency assistance.

Strain said the FSA will consider each emergency loan application on its own merits, taking into account the extent of production losses, security available and repayment ability

Farm operators should contact their local FSA office for more information.