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Johnson, Keokuk and Jefferson counties have been added to a list of contiguous Primary Natural Disaster Areas. Washington and Louisa counties were added to the U.S. Department of Agriculture list in late August.  Former Iowa Governor and current Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says the declarations will “provide help to hundreds of farmers who suffered significant production losses.”  Qualified farm operators living in affected areas have eight months from the date of the declaration to apply for low interest emergency loans from the USDA’s Farm Service Agency.  For more information, visit disasterassistance.gov.