Applications for emergency farm loans for losses caused by drought, above normal temperatures and associated wildfires on Jan. 1, 2009 and continuing are being accepted at the Farm Service Agency (FSA) office located in Franklin, Farm Loan Manager Nathan P. Philipello said today.

Brazos, Burleson, Freestone, Grimes, Houston, Leon, Limestone, Madison, Robertson, and Walker counties are 10 of 192 in Texas, recently named by the secretary of agriculture, eligible for loans to cover part of production and physical losses resulting from these disasters.

Philipello said farmers may be eligible for loans of up to 100% of their actual losses or the operating loan needed to continue the agricultural business, whichever is less.

For farmers unable to obtain credit from private commercial lenders, the interest rate is 3.75 percent.

"As a general rule, a farmer must have suffered at least a 30 percent loss of production to be eligible for an FSA emergency loan", Philipello says. Farmers participating in the Federal Crop Insurance program will have to consider proceeds from those programs in determining their loss.

"Applications for loans under this emergency designation will be accepted until July 2, 2010 but farmers should apply as soon as possible.

Delays in applying could create backlogs in processing, with possible delays into the new farming season", Philipello says.

FSA is a credit agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It is authorized to provide disaster emergency loans to recognized farmers who work at and rely on farming for a substantial part of their living.

Eligibility is extended to individual farmers who meet U.S. citizenship requirements and to farming partnerships, corporations, or cooperatives in which U.S. citizenship requirements are met by individuals holding a majority interest.

The FSA office in Franklin is open from 8:00 to 4:30, Monday through Friday. Additional Information regarding Disaster Assistance Programs can be found online at http://disaster.fsa.usda.go v.