The U.S. Department of Agriculture has designated Keya Paha, Logan and Rock counties as primary natural disaster areas due to drought conditions. The designation makes emergency assistance available to eligible agricultural producers who experienced drought-related losses.
Through the USDA Farm Service Agency, producers in designated counties may apply for emergency loans to help recover from disaster impacts. Loan funds can be used to replace essential equipment or livestock, reorganize farming operations, or refinance certain debts. The application deadline is Jan. 6, 2027.
Loan applications are evaluated based on the extent of losses, available security and repayment ability.
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, the designation was triggered because the counties experienced either severe drought (D2) for at least eight consecutive weeks during the growing season or extreme to exceptional drought conditions (D3 or D4).
Primary Counties Eligible:
- Keya Paha, Logan and Rock
Contiguous Counties Also Eligible:
- Nebraska: Blaine, Boyd, Brown, Cherry, Custer, Holt, Lincoln, Loup, McPherson and Thomas
- South Dakota: Gregory, Todd and Tripp
More Resources
On farmers.gov, the Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool, Disaster Assistance-at-a-Glance fact sheet, and Loan Assistance Tool can help you determine program or loan options. To file a Notice of Loss or to ask questions about available programs, contact your local USDA Service Center.
