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USDA Designates Twelve Idaho Counties as Primary Natural Disaster Areas

Emergency Designation
|
Idaho
|
Release Date
August 07, 2025

Contiguous counties eligible for assistance

This Secretarial natural disaster designation allows the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) to extend much-needed emergency credit to producers recovering from natural disasters through emergency loans. Emergency loans can be used to meet various recovery needs including the replacement of essential items such as equipment or livestock, reorganization of a farming operation, or to refinance certain debts. FSA will review the loans based on the extent of losses, security available, and repayment ability.

According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, these counties suffered from a drought intensity value during the growing season of 1) D2 Drought-Severe for 8 or more consecutive weeks or 2) D3 Drought-Extreme or D4 Drought-Exceptional.

Triggering Disaster #1

Impacted Area: Idaho, Montana, and Oregon

Triggering Disaster: Drought (Fast Track)

Application Deadline: March 16, 2026

Primary Counties Eligible:    

  • Idaho: Clearwater, Idaho, Lemhi, Lewis, and Shoshone

Contiguous Counties Also Eligible:

  • Idaho: Adams, Benewah, Bonner, Butte, Clark, Custer, Kootenai, Latah, Nez Perce, and Valley
  • Montana: Mineral, Missoula, Ravalli and Sanders
  • Oregon: Wallowa

 

Triggering Disaster #2

Impacted Area: Idaho, Oregon, and Washington

Triggering Disaster: Drought (Fast Track)

Application Deadline: March 16, 2026

Primary Counties Eligible:   

  • Idaho: Benewah, Latah, and Nez Perce

Contiguous Counties Also Eligible:

  • Idaho: Clearwater, Idaho, Kootenai, Lewis and Shoshone
  • Oregon: Wallowa
  • Washinton: Asotin, Spokane, and Whitman

 

Triggering Disaster #3

Impacted Area: Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington

Triggering Disaster: Drought (Fast Track)

Application Deadline: March 24, 2026

Primary Counties Eligible:   

  • Idaho: Cassia, Kootenai, Owyhee and Twin Falls

Contiguous Counties Also Eligible:

  • Idaho: Ada, Benewah, Blaine, Bonner, Canyon, Elmore, Gooding, Jerome, Minidoka, Oneida, Power and Shoshone
  • Nevada: Elko and Humboldt
  • Oregon: Malheur
  • Utah: Box Elder
  • Washington: Spokane

 

More Resources

On farmers.gov, the Disaster Assistance Discovery ToolDisaster Assistance-at-a-Glance fact sheet, and Loan Assistance Tool can help you determine program or loan options. To file a Notice of Loss or to ask questions about available programs, contact your local USDA Service Center.

 

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

Farm Service Agency:

1400 Independence Ave. 
SW Washington, DC 20250 
 

Contact:

FPAC Press Desk
FPAC.BC.Press@usda.gov