Eighteen Mississippi counties have been designated by President Donald Trump as primary natural disaster areas as a result of March storms. 

Producers in these counties who suffered damages and losses from severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes or flooding March 14-15, 2025, may be eligible for United States Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency emergency loans. Affected areas include Pike, Walthall and Jefferson Davis counties. 

Producers in contiguous counties may also apply for the emergency loans. These counties include Lincoln, Lawrence and Amite. Deadline to apply is Jan. 21, 2026. 

The natural disaster designation allows FSA to extend much-needed emergency credit to producers recovering from natural disasters. Emergency loans can be used to meet various recovery needs, including the replacement of essential items such as equipment or livestock, reorganization of a farming operation, or the refinancing of certain debts. FSA will review loans based on the extent of losses, security available, and repayment ability.

FSA has a variety of additional programs to help farmers recover from the impacts of disasters. FSA programs that do not require a disaster declaration include: Emergency Assistance for Livestock; Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program; Emergency Conservation Program; Livestock Forage Disaster Program; Livestock Indemnity Program; Operating and Farm Ownership Loans; and the Tree Assistance Program.

For more information on eligibility and application procedures, contact local USDA service centers or visit www.farmers.gov/recover. The Brookhaven Service Center is located at 1395 Johnny Johnson Drive, and can be reached at 601-833-9321.