Smith County Small Businesses Eligible for Disaster Loans

TYLER — Small, nonfarm businesses in 30 Texas counties, including Smith County, are eligible to apply for low-interest federal disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration. These loans help offset economic losses because of reduced revenues caused by drought that began on February 10, 2015. Although Smith County is not a primary county affected by the drought, it is considered a neighboring county and is still eligible for the loans. Primary Texas counties affected by the drought include Atascosa, Burnet, Lampasas, San Saba and Van Zandt. There are 25 neighboring counties eligible for assistance, including Smith, Henderson and Wood.

Small, nonfarm businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations of any size may qualify for Economic Injury Disaster Loans of up to $2 million to help meet financial obligations and operating expenses which could have been met had the disaster not occurred. By law, the Small Business Administration makes the loans available when the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture designates an agricultural disaster. Secretary Tom Vilsack declared this disaster on April 8, 2015.

Smith County Judge Joel Baker received a letter from Texas Governor Greg Abbott, notifying him that Smith County had been designated as eligible to apply for the emergency disaster loans. The deadline to apply for the loans is December 8, 2015.