Today, Congressman Rick Crawford, Senator Mark Pryor and Senator John Boozman announced 23 counties in Arkansas’s First Congressional District have been declared primary or contiguous disaster counties by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) after last year’s record drought. The disaster designation will give farm families access to assistance from USDA’s Farm Service Agency.

“Last year’s record drought affected every farm family in Arkansas’s First District. Today’s disaster declaration from the Department of Agriculture will give these families access to emergency loans so they can keep their operations afloat,” said Crawford. “While this assistance is welcome news, it only further underscores the need for a 5-year Farm Bill that includes options for farmers facing disaster.”

“With our state still reeling from last year’s drought, it’s important that we give Arkansas farmers and ranchers the tools and resources they need to get back on their feet,” Pryor said. “This disaster declaration will help producers recover and ensure that our agricultural sector remains strong.”

“Agriculture is our state’s largest industry and it took quite a hit during last year’s record drought. This disaster declaration is the first step toward getting much needed emergency assistance for Arkansas’s farmers and ranchers. We need to continue our work to help family farmers and ranchers recover from the challenges brought on from the drought and to pass a five-year farm bill to provide them stability for the future,” Boozman said.

First District counties included in the disaster designation include: Arkansas, Baxter, Clay, Cleburne, Craighead, Crittenden, Fulton, Greene, Independence, Izard, Jackson, Jefferson, Lawrence, Lonoke, Mississippi, Monroe, Poinsett, Prairie, Randolph, Searcy, Sharp, Stone and Woodruff.

Producers in the designated counties will be eligible to apply for emergency loans for up to 8 months after today’s disaster declaration.

Congressman Rick Crawford represents Arkansas’s First Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives. Crawford serves on the Agriculture Committee and the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. On the Agriculture Committee, Crawford is Chairman of the Livestock, Rural Development and Credit Subcommittee. Congressman Crawford and his wife Stacy live in Jonesboro with their two children.

 

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Today, Congressman Rick Crawford, Senator Mark Pryor and Senator John Boozman announced 23 counties in Arkansas’s First Congressional District have been declared primary or contiguous disaster counties by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) after last year’s record drought. The disaster designation will give farm families access to assistance from USDA’s Farm Service Agency.