10 Iowa counties in USDA secretarial disaster area

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - Farmers in 10 Iowa counties may apply for low interest emergency disaster loans through the U.S. Department of Agriculture if they've suffered major production losses due to drought.

The counties in southern Iowa are contiguous to the Missouri counties declared in a primary disaster declaration by Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. In Missouri, 97 counties are in the primary area affected by drought conditions.

The Iowa counties are Appanoose, Davis, Decatur, Fremont, Lee, Page, Ringgold, Taylor, Van Buren, and Wayne.

The Farm Service Agency may make emergency loans to eligible family farmers with losses that may include livestock, perennial crops, fruit and nut bearing trees, and harvested or stored crops.

The interest rate for emergency loans is 2.25 percent. The final date for making application is March 18.