Thursday, July 26, 2007
Contact: Jessica Robinson, 573-751-0290
Blunt's Request for Relief to Assist Missouri Farmers Approved by USDA
JEFFERSON CITY – Gov. Matt Blunt today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Sec. Mike Johanns approved his request for a disaster designation for 29 Missouri counties due to losses caused by excessive rain and flood damage that occurred from May 5-12, 2007. Fifteen additional counties were named as contiguous disaster counties bringing the total to 44 counties in Missouri eligible for assistance from USDA.
"This disaster declaration is a way to assist all of our Missouri farm families that have experienced great losses during this year’s flood," Blunt said. "We have been working together with the federal government to approve this request to assist Missouri farmers with the significant production losses they are facing due to flood damage."
Producers in the following counties were listed as primary disaster areas: Andrew, Atchison, Boone, Buchanan, Caldwell, Callaway, Carroll, Cass, Chariton, Clay, Clinton, Cole, Cooper, Daviess, DeKalb, Gentry, Harrison, Holt, Howard, Jackson, Lafayette, Livingston, Moniteau, Nodaway, Osage, Platte, Ray, Saline and Worth. The following counties in Missouri were named as contiguous disaster counties: Audrain, Bates, Gasconade, Grundy, Henry, Johnson, Linn, Macon, Maries, Mercer, Miller, Montgomery, Morgan, Pettis and Randolph.
The disaster declaration by the USDA will make farmers in both primary and contiguous counties eligible for low-interest emergency loans from the Farm Service Agency (FSA) if eligibility requirements are met. Local FSA offices will be able to provide Missouri farmers with additional information on the low-interest loans.
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