The USDA’s Farm Service Agency designated six Illinois counties as natural disaster areas following tornado, hail, and high-wind damage to agricultural operations on Sept. 16.
Two contiguous Indiana counties were also included in the designation, extending emergency loan eligibility across the state line, the FSA said.
Illinois is among the top U.S. producers of corn, soybeans, and pork. Tornado and severe storm damage to farmland in the heart of corn and soybean country during harvest preparation carries implications for fall commodity production and farm financial stability.
For Illinois farmers in the affected counties, the disaster designation unlocks emergency loan eligibility through the FSA. Emergency loans can cover replacement of essential farm property, equipment, and livestock damaged or destroyed by the storms.
The six Illinois counties were struck by a combination of tornadoes, large hail, and straight-line winds that damaged crops, farm structures, and equipment, the FSA said. The severity of damage qualified the area for the federal disaster designation.
The inclusion of two Indiana counties reflects the geographic reach of the storm system, which crossed state lines. Producers in those counties receive the same emergency loan eligibility as those in the primary designated counties.
Emergency loans carry favorable terms, including below-market interest rates, and are available to producers who demonstrate qualifying losses. Affected farmers have eight months from the date of designation to apply through their local FSA office.
The designation was issued alongside separate disaster declarations for South Dakota and other states, indicating a broad national wave of agricultural weather damage during the 2026 growing season.
Commodity market analysts monitor disaster designations for potential effects on production forecasts. Illinois typically ranks first or second nationally in corn and soybean production, and localized damage to those crops can influence futures prices.
The Illinois Farm Bureau encouraged affected producers to document damage and contact their local FSA office to begin the application process.