The U.S. Department of Agriculture has designated five counties of south-central Kansas as disaster areas because of production losses caused by drought.

Senator Jerry Moran said Wednesday the agency has declared Butler, Kingman, Reno, Sedgwick and Harvey counties as primary disaster areas. The designation lets farmers and ranchers seek federal assistance. 

The declaration also makes producers in 12 contiguous counties eligible for help. Those counties are Barber, Chase, Cowley, Elk, Greenwood, Harper, McPherson, Marion, Pratt, Rice, Stafford and Sumner.

Moran says farmers and ranchers in the 17 counties may receive federal disaster help such as the emergency loan program and the supplemental revenue assistance payment program.