Federal Emergency Management Agency Designates 39 Counties in Arkansas as Natural Disaster Areas

Strategic Insights -

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency has designated 39 counties in Arkansas as natural disaster areas due to severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding. This presidential declaration allows the USDA Farm Service Agency to extend emergency credit to producers recovering from natural disasters through emergency loans. The affected areas include 39 primary counties in Arkansas, as well as contiguous counties, and several counties in Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Federal Emergency Management Agency has designated 39 counties in Arkansas as natural disaster areas due to severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding that occurred on April 2 and 22, 2025.
  • The USDA Farm Service Agency will review emergency loans based on the extent of losses, security available, and repayment ability.
  • Impacted areas include primary counties in Arkansas, contiguous counties, and several counties in Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas.
  • The application deadline for emergency loans is January 21, 2026.
  • The Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool, Disaster Assistance-at-a-Glance fact sheet, and Loan Assistance Tool on farmers.gov can help determine program or loan options.
  • Local USDA Service Centers can be contacted to file a Notice of Loss or to ask questions about available programs.
  • FEMA offers different assistance programs for individual citizens, public groups, including government agencies and private nonprofit organizations.

Statistics:

  • 39 counties in Arkansas have been designated as natural disaster areas.
  • The severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding occurred on April 2 and 22, 2025.
  • The application deadline for emergency loans is January 21, 2026.
  • 3 Louisiana parishes (Bossier, Caddo, and Webster) are also eligible for assistance.
  • 6 counties in Oklahoma (Le Flore and McCurtain) and 2 counties in Texas (Bowie and Cass) have been designated as contiguous counties.

Sources:

  • Federal Emergency Management Agency
  • U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency
  • fema.gov
  • farmers.gov