Governor Doyle today asked U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns to declare 19 drought-stricken counties disaster areas after local farm officials reported many crops are beyond help despite recent rains.
The 19 counties are Adams, Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Dunn, Iron, Langlade, Lincoln, Marquette, Polk, Price, Rusk, St. Croix, Sawyer, Taylor, Washburn and Waushara.
Adams, Burnett, Marquette and Washburn counties were also declared disasters in 2005.
According to reports from the counties, the summer’s drought has cost farmers 30 to 60 percent of their corn and soybean yields, as well as up to 50 percent losses on first-crop hay, and virtually no second crop. Farmers have already had to use stored feed that they would normally reserve for winter, deepening the effect of hay losses.
“A second year with drought conditions will have devastating impacts on the producers in these counties,” Governor Doyle said. “We need a quick response from the federal government so that farmers can save their crops and protect our farm economy.”
A disaster designation would allow crop producers in those counties to qualify for assistance, generally in the form of low-interest loans, if Congress later authorizes aid based on reduced yields.
In mid-July, the Governor declared a statewide drought emergency so that the Department of Natural Resources could expedite farmers’ requests to use water from lakes and streams for irrigation. The Governor will continue to monitor the status of these counties and can designate additional counties disaster areas if conditions worsen.
The Governor noted that while farmers all over the state have been hurt by drought conditions, the U.S. Department of Agriculture sets a threshold of 30 percent crop losses countywide for a county to receive assistance. The counties included in this disaster request are those that have formally reported to the state crop losses meeting that threshold. If additional counties subsequently report losses meeting the federal minimum, Governor Doyle can add them to his request for assistance.
Read Governor Doyle’s letter to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns at:
http://www.wisgov.state.wi.us/docview.asp?docid=9137
