Federal aid available to farmers in 54 counties

By The Associated Press

Gov. Mike Beebe says that Arkansas farmers who have suffered recent crop damage may already be eligible for federal assistance.

In late June, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack issued a disaster declaration covering 54 Arkansas counties for damage caused by spring flooding. The declaration provides access to emergency low-interest loans for farmers.

Beebe has submitted an additional request for a USDA disaster declaration for 26 counties related to the most recent crop flooding.

The counties already covered by the federal declaration are: Arkansas, Ashley, Bradley, Calhoun, Chicot, Clark, Cleburne, Cleveland, Columbia, Conway, Craighead, Crittenden, Cross, Dallas, Desha, Drew, Faulkner, Garland, Grant, Hempstead, Hot Spring, Howard, Independence, Izard, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lawrence, Lee, Lincoln, Little River, Lonoke, Miller, Monroe, Mississippi, Montgomery, Nevada, Perry, Phillips, Pike, Poinsett, Pope, Prairie, Pulaski, St. Francis, Saline, Sevier, Sharp, Stone, Union, Van Buren, White, Woodruff and Yell Counties.