SEVEN TEXAS COUNTIES ELIGIBLE FOR USDA EMERGENCY LOANS

                                              Release No. 0187.97

                                     Jim Petterson (202) 720-4623
                                              jpetterson@usda.gov
                                      Wayne Bagget (202) 720-2032
                                                wbaggett@usda.gov


SEVEN TEXAS COUNTIES ELIGIBLE FOR USDA EMERGENCY LOANS

     WASHINGTON, JUNE 11, 1997--Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman
announced that he is making emergency loans available for family-sized farm
operators in seven central Texas counties that suffered damage due to
tornadoes that hit that area on May 27.

     "The Clinton Administration has worked closely with the governor's
office to determine the extent of the damage people have suffered and how
USDA can best respond with the programs we have available," said Glickman. 
"USDA, along with other federal government agencies, are fully supporting
the state and local governments and the many volunteer agencies that are
doing a wonderful job in responding to this disaster."

     Glickman named seven Texas counties as eligible for Farm Service
Agency emergency farm loans because of losses caused by excessive rain,
hail, high winds, and a tornado.  Williamson county was named as a primary
disaster area. Also eligible, because they are contiguous to Williamson, are
Bastrop, Bell, Burnet, Lee, Milam, and Travis counties.

     Farmers in all seven counties have eight months to apply for the loans
to help cover part of their actual losses.  To be eligible, producers must
have suffered at least a 30-percent loss of normal production in a single
enterprise, be able to repay the loan and any other loans, be unable to
obtain credit elsewhere, and have adequate security.

     Local Farm Service offices can provide affected farmers with further
information. 

     In addition to disaster relief from USDA, the U.S. Small Business
Administration activated their disaster loan programs that provide low-interest loans for eligible applicants to cover residential and business
losses not fully compensated by insurance.  The U.S. Department of Housing
and Urban Development reprogrammed nearly $2 million for the tornado relief
effort to provide emergency public services and funds for housing
restoration and replacement for income-qualifying tornado victims.

                                #

NOTE: USDA news releases and media advisories are available on the Internet.
Access the USDA Home Page on the World Wide Web at http://www.usda.gov