BATON ROUGE - The U.S. Department of Agriculture has designated nine Louisiana parishes as primary disaster areas due to excessive rain and flooding last year.

As a result of the amount of rain between September 1 and December 10, some farmers could be eligible for assistance, according to a release from the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry.

Farmers in Bossier, Caddo, Evangeline, Grant, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Pointe Coupee, Rapides, and Red River parishes are eligible for low emergency loans from the USDA's Farm Service Agency providing eligibility requirements are met.

Officials say farmers have eight months from the date of declaration to apply for loans to help cover part of their actual losses. The press release states the FSA will consider each loan application on its own merits, considering the extent of losses, security available, and repayment ability.

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