Disaster assistance made available to North Dakota farmers and ranchers in 52 counties

Governor Jack Dalrymple received word today that U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has approved his request to make disaster assistance available to North Dakota farmers and ranchers who have sustained crop production losses due to flooding, frost and other damages.

The disaster declaration makes farmers in 42 counties eligible for assistance through the USDA’s Farm Service Agency. Eligible farmers can receive emergency loans or assistance through the federal Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments Program.  Farmers in 10 contiguous counties also are eligible for assistance.

“Our farmers and ranchers are facing many weather-related production losses this year, including excessive rainfall and flooding which prevented the planting of more than 5 million acres of productive farmland,” Dalrymple said.

Dalrymple asked Vilsack on Sept. 22 to issue a Secretarial Disaster Declaration for all counties experiencing significant production losses. The request for a disaster declaration is based on damage assessments completed by North Dakota’s local County Emergency Boards.

Dalrymple also requested that the USDA continue to review updated crop damage assessments in the 10 contiguous counties and in Bowman County to determine if they too should be included in the disaster declaration as primary disaster areas.

The disaster declaration includes the following 42 counties as primary disaster areas:

The disaster declaration also includes the following 10 contiguous counties: 

Source: Office of Governor Dalyrmple