MONTANA – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has designated two Montana counties, Missoula and Powell, as primary natural disaster areas. This designation follows a Presidential disaster declaration spurred by recent straight-line winds that caused significant damage.
In response, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) is offering emergency loans. These loans aim to assist producers recovering from natural disasters. They can be utilized for various recovery needs, such as the replacement of equipment or livestock, reorganization of farming operations, or refinancing certain debts.
Including the primary counties, eleven contiguous counties are also eligible for assistance. These include Montana’s Deer Lodge, Flathead, Granite, Jefferson, Lake, Lewis and Clark, Mineral, Ravalli, and Sanders, along with Idaho’s Clearwater and Idaho counties.
Applications for these emergency loans must be submitted by April 23, 2025. Details regarding eligibility, program options, and the application process can be accessed through the USDA’s resources such as the Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool, Disaster Assistance-at-a-Glance fact sheet, and the Loan Assistance Tool. For more specific inquiries, affected individuals are encouraged to contact their local USDA Service Center.
FEMA also offers various assistance programs for individuals and organizations. More information can be found on their official website at fema.gov/assistance.
The USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
[For further details, visit farmers.gov](https://www.farmers.gov).
