USDA offers help to 597 drought-striken counties - leatherbiz: Leading Leatherbiz

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USDA offers help to 597 drought-striken counties

09/01/2013
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated 597 counties in 14 states as primary natural disaster areas due to drought and heat, making all qualified farmers and ranchers eligible for low-interest emergency loans.

Tom Vilsack, the US agriculture secretary, said: "As drought persists, USDA will continue to partner with producers to see them through longer-term recovery, while taking the actions needed to help farmers and ranchers prepare their land and operations for the upcoming planting season. I will work with Congress to encourage passage of a Food, Farm and Jobs bill that gives rural America the long-term certainty they need, including a strong and defensible safety net."

The 597 counties have shown a drought intensity value of at least D2 (severe drought) for eight consecutive weeks based on US drought monitor measurements, providing for an automatic designation.

Last year the secretary announced a series actions to help to farmers, ranchers and businesses, including lowering the interest rate for emergency loans, working with crop insurance companies to provide flexibility to farmers, and expanding the use of conservation reserve programme acres for haying and grazing.


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