COVINGTON, Ind.  — Three western Indiana counties hit by excessive rainfall last year have been declared primary natural disaster areas by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The federal agency’s designation means agricultural producers in Fountain, Parke and Vermillion counties who suffered losses caused by excessive rain that occurred after March 1, 2019, may be eligible for emergency loans from the USDA’s Farm Service Agency.

The emergency loans can be used to meet various recovery needs, including replacing essential items such as equipment or livestock, reorganizing a farming operation or refinancing certain debts.

Producers in the contiguous Indiana counties of Clay, Montgomery, Putnam, Tippecanoe, Vigo, and Warren, along with Edgar and Vermilion counties in Illinois, are also eligible to apply for emergency loans.

The deadline to apply for the emergency loans is Sept. 23, 2020.

Farmers may contact their local USDA service center for further information on eligibility requirements and application procedures. Additional information is also available online at farmers.gov/recover.