Federal Emergency Management Agency designates eight counties in Louisiana as Natural Disaster Areas due to winter storm Fern

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March 19, 2026

News article

This Presidential disaster declaration allows the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) to extend much-needed emergency credit to producers recovering from natural disasters through emergency loans . 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 to refinance certain debts. FSA will review the loans based on the extent of losses, security available, and repayment ability.

Impacted Area: Louisiana

Triggering Disaster: Severe winter storm

Application Deadline: November 4, 2026

Primary Counties Eligible: Bienville, De Soto, East Carroll, Franklin, Morehouse, Ouachita, Richland, and West Carroll

Contiguous Counties Also Eligible:

• Arkansas: Ashley, Chicot, and Union

• Mississippi: Issaquena and Warren

• Texas: Panola and Shelby

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 .FEMA offers different assistance programs for individual citizens, public groups including government agencies and private nonprofit organizations. To find the FEMA help you need following a disaster event, visit fema.gov/assistance .