The U. S. Small Business Administration (SBA)is reminding small, non-farm businesses in 70 Iowa counties and neighboring counties in Illinois and Missouri that they have until August 11th, 2014, to apply for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL). These loans are to offset economic losses because of reduced revenues to farmers and ranchers caused by drought that occurred from August 27 – October 28, 2013, in the following primary counties.

Primary Iowa counties in this area include: Adair, Audubon, Carroll, Crawford, Dallas, Guthrie, Madison, Sac, Shelby, and Union. Neighboring area counties eligible to apply for an EIDL include: Adams, Cass, Harrison, Pottawattamie, Ringgold and Taylor.

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 (EIDLs) of up to $2 million to help meet financial obligations and operating expenses which could have been met had the disaster not occurred. Businesses primarily engaged in farming or ranching are not eligible for SBA disaster assistance.

Agricultural enterprises should contact the Farm Services Agency (FSA) about the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) assistance made available by the Secretary’s declaration. However, in drought disasters nurseries are eligible for SBA disaster assistance. Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure Web site at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.
For owners of impacted small businesses, disaster loan information and application forms are also available from SBA’s Customer Service Center by calling toll-free at (800) 659-2955 or e-mailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. For more information about SBA’s disaster assistance programs, visit http://www.sba.gov/disaster.

The deadline to apply for these loans is August 11, 2014.