(KLZA)--U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE) welcomed the U.S. Department of Agriculture- disaster declaration announcement allowing farm operators from certain counties to apply for Farm Service Agency, emergency loan assistance.

The USDA announced 13 Nebraska counties as primary natural disaster areas due to the ongoing drought. The announcement also classified 31 counties as contiguous counties. This designation allows farm operators in the primary and contiguous counties eligible to be considered for the FSA emergency loan assistance. Farmers eligible have 8 months from the date of the disaster declaration to apply for emergency loans.

Gage County is among the 13 primary counties receiving the disaster declaration.

Among the 31 contiguous counties are Johnson, Pawnee and Otoe counties.

If you are a resident of one of these counties, have endured damages, or are unsure about your eligibility for emergency loan assistance, please visit

www.farmers.gov/recover; www.ricketts.senate.gov/services or call 202-224-4224.