The U.S. Department of Agriculture has added a southern Idaho county to its list of Idaho regions considered natural disaster areas because of drought.
The department designated Elmore County a primary natural disaster area, making farmers and ranchers in the county eligible for natural disaster assistance. Other Idaho counties with federal natural disaster declarations include Ada, Boise, Custer, Owyhee, Blaine, Camas, Gooding and Twin Falls.
Farm operators in those regions can apply for low interest emergency loans from the federal Farm Service Agency, as long as they meet certain eligibility requirements. Farmers have until Nov. 19 to apply for the loans to help cover part of their actual losses from drought.
