WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture has designated two Texas counties as natural disaster areas, making farmers and ranchers in those counties and several contiguous areas eligible for emergency loans to recover from drought.
The Secretarial designation, announced April 30, 2026, covers San Patricio County for severe drought and Runnels County for drought combined with excessive heat. Producers in eligible counties can apply for low-interest emergency loans from the USDA Farm Service Agency through Nov. 19, 2026.
The designation allows FSA to provide emergency credit for recovery needs, including replacement of essential items such as equipment or livestock, reorganization of a farming operation, or refinancing certain debts. Loan approvals are based on the extent of losses, available security and repayment ability, according to the USDA.
For San Patricio County, the triggering disaster is drought under a fast-track process. Contiguous counties also eligible include Aransas, Bee, Jim Wells, Live Oak, Nueces and Refugio.
For Runnels County, the triggering disaster is drought and excessive heat that occurred from July 15, 2025, through Dec. 30, 2025. Contiguous counties also eligible include Coke, Coleman, Concho, Nolan, Taylor and Tom Green.
The designations were based on U.S. Drought Monitor data showing qualifying drought intensity values during the growing season.
More information and application assistance are available through local USDA Service Centers or online at farmers.gov.
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