United States Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue designated eight counties in Iowa this week as primary natural disaster areas following the August 10th Derecho in the state. These counties are Benton, Iowa, Johnson, Keokuk, Linn, Poweshiek, Tama and Washington Counties. A secretarial disaster designation means farm operators in primary and contiguous counties are eligible for certain assistance from the Farm Service Agency including FSA emergency loans. This declaration will expire July 1st of 2021.