© (Courtesy: Apache County)Small, nonfarm business in Apache County and seven New Mexico counties that have been affected by drought now can apply for low-interest federal disaster loans.
The deadline to apply for up to $2 million in loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration is March 18.
The SBA is making the loans available to businesses there and in New Mexico's Cibola, Bernalillo, Catron, McKinley, Sandoval, Socorro and Valencia counties.
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack declared Cibola County an agricultural disaster area earlier this month.
The loans will not cover actual property damage. Rather, they're based on the financial impact to businesses that are dependent on farmers and ranchers.
Small agricultural cooperatives and aquaculture businesses, as well as most private, nonprofit organizations are eligible.
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