Government Declares Disasters In 4 Mont. Counties

The U.S. Agriculture Department has declared Broadwater, Gallatin, Jefferson and Silver Bow counties disaster areas, making farmers and ranchers there eligible for low-interest emergency loans.

The assistance is meant to help the agricultural industry recover from drought and fire.

Seven other counties that border those four are also available for the loans. They are Beaverhead, Deer Lodge, Lewis and Clark, Madison, Meagher, Park and Powell counties.

U.S. Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester of Montana announced the new designations on Wednesday.