Congressman Gonzalez Announces Brooks, Karnes, Live Oak, Duval and Wilson Counties Qualify for USDA Drought Disaster Assistance

WASHINGTON – Congressman Vicente Gonzalez announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Thomas Vilsack approved a Secretarial disaster area designation for drought for the following counties in the 15th District of Texas: Karnes, Live Oak primary; and contiguous, Brooks, Duval, Wilson. With this designation, those affected by recent drought are qualified to be considered for Farm Service Agency (FSA) assistance, including loans.

“I thank Agriculture Secretary Vilsack for issuing a disaster designation in response to the severe drought conditions in Central and South Texas,” said Congressman Gonzalez. “These designations will help communities recover with much needed federal aid. I encourage farmers, ranchers, and businesses in the 15th District of Texas affected by these conditions to take advantage of available federal resources to them.”

A Secretarial disaster designation makes farm operators in primary counties and those counties contiguous to such primary counties eligible to be considered for certain assistance from the FSA. Farmers in eligible counties have eight months from the date of the disaster declaration to apply for emergency loans. 

The full USDA disaster designation list can be found here.

For more information on FSA assistance, click here. 

Information for the local USDA Farm Service Agency Offices is below:

LIVE OAK-MCMULLEN COUNTY FARM SERVICE AGENCY 
200 E BOWIE ST STE C 
GEORGE WEST, TX 78022 
(361) 449-2241 ext. 2 (Voice)
(844) 496-7086 (Fax)

BROOKS-JIM HOGG COUNTY FARM SERVICE AGENCY
123 COUNTY ROAD 205
FALFURRIAS, TX 78355
(361) 325-2272 ext 2

DUVAL COUNTY FARM SERVICE AGENCY 
141 W MAIN 
BENAVIDES, TX 78341-0509 
(361) 256-3342 ext. 2 (Voice)
(844) 496-7092 (Fax)

KARNES COUNTY FARM SERVICE AGENCY 
491 N SUNSET STRIP ST STE 102 
KENEDY, TX 78119-2044 
(830) 583-3224 ext. 2 (Voice)
(844) 496-7999 (Fax)

WILSON COUNTY FARM SERVICE AGENCY 
1106 10TH ST 
FLORESVILLE, TX 78114-2132 
(830) 393-3411 ext. 2 (Voice)
(844) 496-7928 (Fax) 

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