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# USDA Opens Drought Loans Across 38 South Dakota Counties
- URL: https://www.theamericanquorum.com/state-news-south-dakota-2026-09-18-b/
- Published: 2026-09-18T11:48:38.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-18T11:48:38.000Z
- Description: USDA has designated 18 South Dakota counties as primary drought disaster areas and made 20 adjoining counties eligible for emergency farm loans. Applications are due May 10, 2027, and losses must be documented.
- Author: News Desk
- Tags: State News, Colorado, New York, South Dakota

South Dakota farmers and ranchers in 38 counties can now seek federal emergency credit after the U.S. Department of Agriculture designated 18 counties as primary natural-disaster areas because of drought and made 20 adjoining South Dakota counties eligible as well. The [Farm Service Agency announcement, issued September 17](https://www.fsa.usda.gov/news-events/news/09-17-2026/usda-designates-18-south-dakota-counties-natural-disaster-areas?ref=theamericanquorum.com), sets a May 10, 2027, application deadline.

The primary counties are Beadle, Buffalo, Davison, Douglas, Hand, Hanson, Hutchinson, Jerauld, Jones, Lake, McCook, Mellette, Miner, Minnehaha, Moody, Sanborn, Todd and Union. The South Dakota contiguous counties are Aurora, Bennett, Bon Homme, Brookings, Brule, Charles Mix, Clark, Clay, Faulk, Haakon, Hyde, Jackson, Kingsbury, Lincoln, Lyman, Spink, Stanley, Tripp, Turner and Yankton. Producers in some neighboring out-of-state counties are also covered by the federal designation.

## What the designation does

This is access to a loan program, not an automatic grant or payment. Under [FSA's emergency farm-loan rules](https://www.fsa.usda.gov/resources/loans/emergency-farm-loans?ref=theamericanquorum.com), applicants must operate in a disaster-designated county, document a substantial physical or production loss and show that they cannot obtain enough credit elsewhere. FSA says it evaluates applications according to the loss, available security and repayment ability.

Approved loans may cover up to 100% of actual production or physical losses, subject to a $500,000 cap. Permitted uses include replacing essential livestock, equipment or farm structures; paying next-season production costs and essential family living expenses; reorganizing an operation; or refinancing certain disaster-related debts. Terms depend on the loan's purpose and the borrower's ability to repay.

The designation follows the drought thresholds used for automatic Secretarial designations: at least eight consecutive weeks of severe drought, classified as D2, or any period of D3 extreme or D4 exceptional drought during the growing season. The [U.S. Drought Monitor map released September 17](https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/?ref=theamericanquorum.com), based on conditions through September 15, said rainfall improved drought in eastern South Dakota while areas that missed the rain deteriorated; extreme drought persisted across parts of the Dakotas.

## What producers should do next

Potential applicants should assemble records showing the disaster-related loss, an operating plan and current financial information before contacting FSA. USDA's [Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool](https://www.farmers.gov/protection-recovery/disaster-tool?ref=theamericanquorum.com) can screen for other recovery programs, while the [FSA office locator](https://www.fsa.usda.gov/fsa-office-locator?ref=theamericanquorum.com) directs producers to the county office that accepts emergency-loan applications.

Borrowers should expect the requested amount to be tied to verified losses rather than the size of the farm. The [program guidance](https://www.fsa.usda.gov/resources/loans/emergency-farm-loans?ref=theamericanquorum.com) says crop, livestock and other non-real-estate losses are typically repaid within one to seven years, while loans for physical damage to real estate may run longer.

The May deadline is the outside filing date, not a reason to wait: documentation, credit review and collateral questions can take time. Producers should also ask the county office whether separate drought programs—for forage, livestock or uninsured crop losses—fit their circumstances, because eligibility and application requirements differ by program.