Smith County has received notice from the Texas Department of Public Safety, Division of Emergency Management that the county is eligible to apply for low-interest emergency disaster loans due to drought and related disasters including high winds, high temperatures and wildfires since  January 1, 2011.

The Administrator of the Farm Service Agency (FSA) will immediately make emergency loans available to eligible applicants in Smith County. To receive details on terms and eligibility for these loans please contact the nearest FSA office.

In addition, the Small Business Administration (SBA), in an agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), provides Economic Injury Disaster Loans to eligible small businesses dependent on farmers and ranchers in counties that have received a disaster declaration. Applicants may apply online via the SBA’s secure Web site at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela. Disaster loan information and applications forms are also available from the SBA’s Customer Service Center by calling the SBA toll-free at 800-659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting the SBA’s website at www.sba.gov. Individuals who are deaf or hard-of-hearing may call 800-877-8339.

The deadline to apply for these loans is September 4, 2012.