The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has officially designated 12 parishes in Louisiana as natural disaster areas following a severe drought that began on April 14, 2026. This declaration, known as Secretarial Disaster Designation S6219, opens the door for affected farm operators in these parishes and their contiguous areas to access critical emergency loan assistance through the Farm Service Agency (FSA).
The designation enables farmers in the impacted regions to apply for FSA emergency loans to address production losses and financial challenges caused by the drought. Applications for these loans will be accepted until January 4, 2027. Each application will be evaluated individually, with FSA assessing the extent of losses, the applicant’s financial security, and repayment capacity.
The primary parishes named in the disaster declaration are Allen, Iberia, Morehouse, Orleans, Ouachita, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Tammany, and Union.
Farmers in contiguous areas are also eligible for assistance. These include parishes in Louisiana such as Ascension, Assumption, Beauregard, Caldwell, Claiborne, Evangeline, Iberville, Jackson, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, Lafourche, Lincoln, Livingston, Rapides, Richland, St. Martin, St. Mary, Tangipahoa, Vermilion, Vernon, Washington, and West Carroll. Additionally, neighboring counties in Arkansas (Ashley, Chicot, and Union) and Mississippi (Hancock and Pearl River) qualify for aid.
Farmers are encouraged to reach out to their local FSA offices for detailed guidance on eligibility and the application process. Resources such as the Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool and Loan Assistance Tool on farmers.gov can help applicants explore available programs and options. Those who have experienced losses are advised to file a Notice of Loss promptly.
Additionally, FEMA offers a range of disaster assistance programs for individuals and organizations affected by this event. More information about FEMA’s resources can be found at fema.gov/assistance.