23 counties in Texas – including Hidalgo Willacy, Starr and Cameron – have been issued a disaster designation by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Gov. Greg Abbott made the announcement of the designation in a Wednesday news release, adding that designation was issued in response to severe winter weather that impacted the state last month.

This designation makes federal assistance, such as emergency loans, available to agricultural producers who have suffered losses in designated counties, as well as in counties that are contiguous to a designated county, the news release stated.. 

Abbott requested the designation last month.

PREVIOUS STORY: Gov. Abbott requests USDA disaster designation for Cameron, Hidalgo and Willacy counties

“This designation will provide crucial assistance to our agricultural producers as they continue to recover from the severe winter storm,” Abbott said in a statement. “I encourage all producers who were impacted by the severe winter storm to continue working with the USDA to ensure assistance is available to all eligible producers in our state." 

Counties included in this designation are Cameron, Duval, Hidalgo, McLennan, Starr, Webb, and Zapata. Contiguous counties included in this designation are Bell, Bosque, Brooks, Coryell, Dimmit, Falls, Hill, Jim Hogg, Jim Wells, Kenedy, La Salle, Limestone, Live Oak, McMullen, Maverick, and Willacy.