The federal government is opening emergency loans to Alabama small businesses, nonprofits and farmers affected by weeks of intense drought since December.

USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins designated 38 Alabama counties as primary or contiguous natural disaster areas on Wednesday.

“The drought affected over half of the counties in Alabama,” Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries Rick Pate said in a news release. “We encourage farmers to reach out to their local USDA offices for details about available funding.”

The affected counties are Autauga, Baldwin, Bibb, Butler, Chilton, Choctaw, Clarke, Colbert, Coosa, Crenshaw, Cullman, Dallas, Elmore, Franklin, Greene, Hale, Jackson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Lowndes, Madison, Marengo, Marion, Marshall, Mobile, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Perry, Pickens, Shelby, Sumter, Tuscaloosa, Walker, Washington, Wilcox and Winston.

The federal drought monitor website shows nearly three-quarters of Alabama was gripped by some level of drought in October and November, with unusually dry conditions persisting into the new year.

[Can’t see the map? Click here.]

It’s at least the third widespread drought declaration applied to Alabama in the past two years. Dallas, Perry and Wilcox counties were declared drought disaster areas in November, AL.com reported, and more earned the declaration in late 2023.

The declaration opens low-interest federal loans to farmers, small businesses and nonprofits who sustained economic losses related to the drought.

Farm operators in the affected counties may be considered for Farm Service Agency emergency loan assistance, according to the USDA. Farmers have eight months from the date of the declaration to apply. More information on options and eligibility requirements is available online.

The U.S. Small Business Administration’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to eligible small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries and certain aquacultural enterprises with financial losses directly related to the drought. EIDLs are available for working capital needs, even if the business did not suffer any physical damage, according to SBA.

The loans – with a $2 million maximum and interest rates as low as 4% – may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills not paid due to the disaster.

Applications can be made online, by calling SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 or by emailing [email protected]. The deadline is Nov. 25.