The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated 38 counties in Michigan, with three different designations, as primary natural disaster areas due to multiple disasters. Qualified ranchers and farm operators in the designated counties (and those contiguous) may be eligible for low interest emergency loans from USDA's Farm Service Agency.

According to a January 24, 2014 USDA news release, the primary natural disaster areas and designations are as follows:

• Designation #1: 27 counties (and those contiguous) due to damages and losses caused by excessive rain with cooler than normal temperatures that began April 1, 2013 and continues;
• Designation #2: Benzie County (and those contiguous) due to damages and losses caused by drought with cooler than normal temperatures that occurred August 1 through September 28, 2013; and
• Designation #3: 10 counties (and those contiguous) due to damages and losses caused by combined effects of excessive rain that occurred April 1 through July 29, 2013, and returning October 15, 2013, and continuing. It also includes drought that occurred July 30 through October 15, 2013, and cooler than normal temperatures which spanned the entire disaster period.

Follow the link below for additional information and a listing of counties designated as primary natural disaster areas:

https://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/newsReleases?area=newsroom&subject=landing&topic=edn&newstype=ednewsrel&type=detail&item=ed_20140124_rel_0018.html