Illinois Farmers To Receive Drought, Storm Damage Relief

SPRINGFIELD --­ Governor George H. Ryan announced today that federal aid will be available to farmers in 79 Illinois counties through a USDA disaster declaration.

The disaster designation, resulting from severe drought conditions and wind damage from an August storm, makes federal low interest loans available to affected producers.

"Many Illinois farmers have been hit hard this year," Ryan said. "Low commodity prices are bad enough, but when you lower yields because of drought and downed corn, it makes it hard for many of these farm families to get by. This assistance is needed to help our farmers get ready for another growing season."

Each of the counties receiving the disaster designation realized significant production losses during the 1999 growing season. Of the 56 counties receiving primary disaster designation, 45 were for severe drought that has continued since early July. Eleven counties received the designation for damage from an August 12 storm that knocked down more than 393,000 acres of corn through mostly central Illinois. Brown County was included in both disaster declarations

"This has been an unusual year, with storms and rain conditions causing yields to vary widely across the state," said Illinois Agriculture Director Joe Hampton. "These disaster declarations ensure that aid goes directly to the farmers that have been directly affected by the natural disasters we have seen this year."

Farmers in the designated counties are encouraged to contact their local Farm Service Agency office for more information on how to apply for the federal aid. Producers in all counties named either primary or contiguous natural disaster areas are eligible for loan assistance under the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act.

The following counties have been declared primary natural disaster areas because of drought::

The following counties have been named contiguous disaster counties because of drought:

The following counties have been declared primary natural disaster areas due to losses caused by severe thunderstorms and wind on Aug. 12:

The following counties have been named contiguous disaster counties due to storm and wind damage: