Prairie State Wire

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced the availability of low-interest emergency physical loss loans to producers in six Illinois counties. The measure addresses losses caused by severe storms, straight-line winds, flooding, landslides, and mudslides that took place on February 14, 2025.

The affected counties include Alexander, Gallatin, Hardin, Massac, Pope, and Pulaski. In response to the situation, Jerry Costello II, the Illinois Department of Agriculture Director, stated, "Extreme weather can cause extensive, expensive damage to Illinois farms. Producers with storm damage in these six counties should contact their local USDA Service Center to confirm eligibility."

These USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) loans are designed to aid producers in repairing or replacing damaged or destroyed physical property vital to agricultural operations. This encompasses livestock, essential farm buildings, fixtures, equipment, perennial crops, fruit and nut-bearing trees, as well as harvested or stored crops and hay.

Farmers looking to understand their options can refer to resources on farmers.gov such as the Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool, Disaster Assistance-at-a-Glance fact sheet, and Loan Assistance Tool. For filing a Notice of Loss or further inquiries about the available programs, local USDA Service Centers are available to provide assistance.