DENVER — Farmers in 44 Colorado counties are eligible for low-interest federal loans because of drought or freeze damage.

Gov. Bill Ritter said Tuesday the U.S. Department of Agriculture agreed to provide drought loans to 40 counties. Fifteen of those counties, plus four others, are eligible for freeze loans.

Ritter also plans to seek additional hail, drought or disaster designations for six counties, all of which are already eligible for low-interest loans under the existing declarations.

Counties eligible for loans under both the drought and freeze declarations: Bent, Chaffee, Crowley, Custer, EI Paso, Fremont, Huerfano, Kiowa, Las Animas, Lincoln, Otero, Park, Pueblo, Saguache and Teller.

Counties eligible under the drought declaration only: Adams, Alamosa, Arapahoe, Baca, Boulder, Broomfield, Cheyenne, Clear Creek, Costilla, Denver, Douglas, Elbert, Jefferson, Kit Carson, Lake, Larimer, Logan, Morgan, Phillips, Prowers, Sedgwick, Summit, Washington, Weld and Yuma.

Counties eligible under the freeze declaration only: Delta, Gunnison, Mesa and Montrose.