By Jamie Martin
Arkansas farms have new support to rebuild after destructive spring weather. The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) is extending emergency loans to producers affected by severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding that occurred on April 2, 2025, and April 22, 2025. These loans can cover replacement of essential equipment or livestock, repair of damaged facilities, reorganization of operations to restore cash flow, and refinancing of certain debts that strain day-to-day expenses. Each application is reviewed on three factors: the extent of losses, available collateral, and the borrower’s repayment ability.
The application deadline is January 21, 2026. Producers should contact their county FSA office quickly to confirm eligibility, gather paperwork, and avoid delays.
Primary eligible counties: 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 Arkansas counties: Arkansas, Baxter, Boone, Calhoun, Carroll, Chicot, Cleburne, Cleveland, Columbia, Drew, Faulkner, Garland, Grant, Howard, Independence, Jefferson, Johnson, Lincoln, Logan, Madison, Mississippi, Perry, Phillips, Polk, Pope, Sebastian, Union, Van Buren, and Yell.
Eligible contiguous counties in nearby states:
- Louisiana: Bossier, Caddo, Webster
- Mississippi: Bolivar, DeSoto, Tunica
- Missouri: Butler, Dunklin, Howell, Oregon, Ozark, Ripley, Taney
- Oklahoma: Le Flore, McCurtain
- Tennessee: Shelby, Tipton
- Texas: Bowie, Cass
Students and families should note: emergency loans are designed to keep farms operating. By applying early and preparing loss documentation and insurance records, producers can speed up decisions and return to stable production.
Photo Credit:gettyimages-mintr
Categories: National