Mississippi Farmers Eligible for Disaster Loans as Drought Parches State

Farmers hit by the drought gripping central Mississippi are now eligible for federal aid.

The U.S. Small Business Administration says it’s offering low-interest disaster loans to small businesses and nonprofit organizations following a drought declaration by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Loans can be up to $2 million for nonprofit organizations and small businesses, lasting up to 30 years.

Mississippi counties included in the disaster area are Attala, Claiborne, Copiah, Hinds, Holmes, Humphreys, Issaquena, Leake, Leflore, Madison, Rankin, Scott, Sharkey, Simpson, Smith, Sunflower, Warren, Washington and Yazoo.

The area has seen little rainfall since July. Parts of seven central Mississippi counties were experiencing extreme drought as of the end of September, according to National Drought Mitigation Center.