Monday, November 27, 2006
Contact: Jessica Robinson, 573-751-0290
USDA Approves Blunt’s Disaster Relief Request for Farm Families
JEFFERSON CITY–Gov. Matt Blunt today announced that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has approved his request to declare several Missouri counties natural disaster areas for agricultural loss due to storm and flood damage in late September.
“The USDA disaster declaration will help Missouri farm families as they recover from the drought and subsequent storms,” Blunt said. “My thoughts and prayers are with those who suffered tremendous losses right before harvest. The assistance will provide them the much-needed support to continue to recover from the severe weather.”
The USDA declared Butler, Dunklin, Mississippi, Pemiscot, New Madrid and Stoddard Counties as natural disaster areas. In addition Bollinger, Cape Girardeau, Carter, Ripley, Scott and Wayne were named as contiguous disaster areas and will also qualify for assistance. The declarations ensure that the farm families impacted by the severe weather are eligible for federal assistance to help with income loss associated with the severe weather.
The declaration comes after more than a foot of rain pummeled Southeast Missouri counties, destroying an estimated 25 to 50 percent of the cotton crop in some areas and leading to widespread ground saturation and flooding. In some areas corn and soybean crops were also affected.
The USDA declaration notes all counties included in the governor’s request except Perry County will be eligible for Farm Service Agency emergency loan assistance.
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