CHICAGO (AP) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture has designated 87 Illinois counties as primary natural disaster areas, making their farmers eligible for low-interest emergency loans because of heavy rains and flooding that have occurred since June 1. The USDA says farmers in those counties and 14 other contiguous counties are eligible for low-interest Farm Service Agency loans to cover part of the damages and losses that they have incurred. In our area that includes, Jefferson and the surrounding counties. The USDA says farmers in the eligible counties have eight months to apply for loans.