Additional 76 Counties Named Disaster Areas Due to Drought

An additional 76 counties in six states have been named a primary natural disaster area as the drought situation continues to worsen. For the 2012 crop year, 1,234 counties have been declared a disaster area by USDA due to the drought, making qualified producers eligible for low-interest emergency loans. The additional counties are in the states of Indiana, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Nebraska and Wisconsin. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, two-thirds of the United States is in a moderate to exceptional drought. USDA has taken steps to help farmers and ranchers by streamlining the disaster process, reducing the interest rate on emergency farm loans and flexing the rules for producers in conservation programs. Learn more or review the newly listed counties designated as disaster areas.