ATLANTA — The U.S. Small Business Administration announced Monday that Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) are available in Berrien, Cook and surrounding counties in Georgia to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture, and most private nonprofit organizations due to excessive rain that occurred from June 3 through Dec. 9, 2021.

The declaration covers the primary counties of Berrien and Cook and the contiguous counties of Atkinson, Brooks, Coffee, Colquitt, Irwin, Lanier, Lowndes and Tift, all in Georgia.

Under this declaration, the SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan program is available to eligible farm-related and nonfarm-related entities that suffered financial losses as a direct result of this disaster.  Apart from aquaculture enterprises, SBA cannot provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, and ranchers. 

Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application via the SBA’s secure website at DisasterLoanAssistance.sba.gov/ela/s/ and should apply under SBA declaration # 17342, not for the COVID-19 incident.