Louisiana Parishes Have Been Designated Disaster Areas Due to Harvey

The federal government has designated several Louisiana parishes disaster areas due to damages caused by flooding from Hurricane Harvey.

Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain says the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency recently gave Cameron, Grant, Natchitoches and Rapides parishes that designation. On Tuesday, Strain said additional areas were named as contiguous disaster areas. They are Allen, Avoyelles, Bienville, Calcasieu, DeSoto, Evangeline, Jefferson Davis, LaSalle, Red River, Sabine, Vermilion, Vernon and Winn.

Strain says the designation makes farmers and ranchers eligible for low-interest emergency loans from the FSA.

Harvey and its flooding swamped parts of the state from Aug. 26 through Oct. 10.

Strain urged farmers and ranchers who may be eligible to contact their local FSA office. Additional information is also available online at http://disaster.fsa.usda.gov .