Farmers and ranchers inArkansascan apply for emergency loans, now that most of the state has received a disaster declaration from the U-S Department of Agriculture due to this summer’s drought conditions.

All but six counties are named in the declaration requested by Governor Mike Beebe.

Last week, the Agriculture Department announced changes to simplify the process for disaster assistance, as well as a lower interest rate of 2-point-25 percent for emergency loans.