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

Strategic Insights -

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency issued a news release announcing that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has designated 39 counties in Arkansas as natural disaster areas due to severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding that occurred on April 2-22, 2025. This declaration allows the USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA) to provide emergency loans to producers affected by the disaster. The emergency loans can be used to replace essential items such as equipment or livestock, reorganize a farming operation, or refinance certain debts.

Key Takeaways:

  • 39 counties in Arkansas have been designated as natural disaster areas due to severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding.
  • FEMA's presidential disaster declaration allows the USDA's FSA to provide emergency loans to producers affected by the disaster.
  • Emergency loans can be used to replace essential items such as equipment or livestock, reorganize a farming operation, or refinance certain debts.
  • The FSA will review loans based on the extent of losses, security available, and repayment ability.
  • The application deadline for emergency loans is January 21, 2026.
  • The primary counties eligible for assistance are Clark, Clay, Craighead, Crittenden, Cross, Dallas, Desha, Fulton, Greene, Hempstead, Hot Spring, Izard, Jackson, Lafayette, Lawrence, Lee, Little River, Lonoke, Marion, Miller, Monroe, Montgomery, Nevada, Newton, Ouachita, Pike, Poinsett, Prairie, Pulaski, Randolph, St. Francis, Saline, Scott, Searcy, Sevier, Sharp, Stone, White, and Woodruff.
  • Contiguous counties in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Tennessee are also eligible for assistance.

Statistics:

  • 39 counties in Arkansas have been designated as natural disaster areas.
  • Emergency loans can be worth up to the actual physical losses or $500,000, whichever is less.
  • The deadline to apply for emergency loans is January 21, 2026.
  • FEMA offers different assistance programs for individual citizens, public groups, and private nonprofit organizations.
  • The USDA's FSA can provide emergency loans to producers affected by the disaster in the designated counties.

Sources:

  • U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency (August 22, 2025)
  • fema.gov/assistance
  • farmers.gov, Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool, Disaster Assistance-at-a-Glance fact sheet, and Loan Assistance Tool.