SBA's disaster declaration was issued as a result of a similar action taken by the Secretary of Agriculture to help farmers recover from damages and losses of crops caused by drought that occurred Feb. 1, 2005, and continuing.

SBA disaster loans are the primary source of long-term recovery assistance from the federal government. To date, we have approved more than $84,310,000 in the State of Alabama for the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Develop a comprehensive plan. Take a good look at your business and assess the impact a disaster would have on you, your employees, your customers and your community.

SBA can help these small businesses overcome their economic injuries by offering these working capital loans, but the help cannot start until they apply.

We saw a financial disaster in agriculture in the early 1980s as a result of inflated farmland values and the increased borrowing on those values. When the bottom dropped out of the farmland market, we saw loans called in and foreclosures to cover those loans.

It would help agriculture (if it were).