FEMA designates local counties, Indian reservations, federal disaster areas

Press release

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has designated 12 Montana Counties, including Blaine, Chouteau and Hill, and the Rocky Boy’s and Fort Belknap Indian reservations, as primary natural disaster areas.

A USDA release said the designation is in response to severe winter storms and flooding.

The presidential disaster declaration allows the United States Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency to extend through emergency loans emergency credit to producers recovering from natural disasters.

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. 

Impacted Area: Montana

Triggering Disaster: Severe Winter Storm and Flooding

Application Deadline: 3/18/2025 

Primary Counties Eligible: Blaine, Chouteau, Fergus, Hill, Judith Basin, Petroleum, Pondera, Teton, Toole, Wheatland, the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation and the Fort Belknap Indian Community

Contiguous Counties Also Eligible: Montana: Cascade, Flathead, Garfield, Glacier, Golden Valley, Lewis and Clark, Liberty, Meagher, Musselshell, Phillips, Rosebud and Sweet Grass.

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

FEMA offers different assistance programs for individual citizens, public groups including government agencies and private nonprofit organizations.  To find the FEMA help they need following a disaster event, people can visit https://fema.gov/assistance .