WASHINGTON -- Thirteen counties in North Carolina have been designated as primary natural disaster areas because of losses caused by rain and flooding.

A statement from the U.S. Department of Agriculture on Monday said Camden, Granville, Orange, Carteret, Greene, Pasquotank, Craven, New Hanover, Pender, Currituck, Onslow, Washington and Durham counties.

The declaration covers the period from Nov. 1 through Dec. 31, 2009.

The department issued the designation on March 18, making all qualified farm operators in the designated areas eligible for low interest emergency loans from USDA's Farm Service Agency, provided they meet eligibility requirements. Farmers in eligible counties have eight months from the date of the declaration to apply for loans to help cover part of their actual losses.

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