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(Lincoln, NE) Gov. Dave Heineman has expanded his federal drought disaster declaration request today following the receipt of additional damage assessment reports compiled by local Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices. An additional 34 Nebraska counties have been added to the Governor's request for declarations due to ongoing drought.
Gov. Heineman's request for federal agricultural disaster designations from U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns added the following counties: Adams, Antelope, Boone, Burt, Butler, Cedar, Clay, Colfax, Dakota, Dixon, Dodge, Fillmore, Greeley, Hall, Hamilton, Jefferson, Johnson, Knox, Lancaster, Madison, Merrick, Nemaha, Nuckolls, Pawnee, Pierce, Richardson, Saline, Saunders, Seward, Stanton, Thayer, Thurston, Wayne, and York.
The latest request brings the total number of Nebraska counties deemed eligible for a disaster designation to 83. The Governor has previously requested and gained disaster declarations gained disaster declarations for 49 counties: Arthur, Banner, Blaine, Box Butte, Boyd, Brown, Buffalo, Chase, Cheyenne, Cherry, Custer, Dawes, Dawson, Deuel, Dundy, Franklin, Frontier, Furnas, Garden, Garfield, Grant, Gosper, Harlan, Hayes, Hitchcock, Holt, Hooker, Howard, Kearney, Keith, Keya Paha, Kimball, Lincoln, Logan, Loup, McPherson, Morrill, Perkins, Phelps, Red Willow, Rock, Scotts Bluff, Sheridan, Sherman, Sioux, Thomas, Valley, Webster, and Wheeler.
"Recent rainfall may have offered short-term relief to some Nebraska producers, but it has come far too late for many farmers and ranchers, and it has followed far too closely on the heels of seven years of drought," Gov. Heineman said. "Producers across our state are being impacted by the cumulative effects of dry weather, and while we need these designations to access drought assistance, we need Congress to act quickly on additional aid."
Damage reports from FSA indicate that each of the 34 counties in the Governor's disaster declaration request have suffered at least a 30 percent loss in one or more crop or livestock areas. Requests for additional counties are possible as more data becomes available.
A natural disaster designation provides affected producers with access to low-interest loans, tax deferment flexibility and other programs to mitigate the impact of drought. For current statewide information on drought program availability, visit http://www.droughtcentral.org/
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