News Releases for November 2005
November 2, 2005
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Hoeven Announces USDA Secretarial Disaster Declaration
BISMARCK, N.D. – Gov. John Hoeven today announced that U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns has issued a Secretarial Disaster Declaration for 37 North Dakota counties in response to record rainfall this spring in the north central, northeast Red River Valley and southeast portions of the state, and drought conditions in other areas that have negatively impacted crops and pasture land. Hoeven requested the declaration after heavy rainfall and flooding in parts of the state this spring.
"Although some North Dakota crops have done well, others have sustained considerable quality damage due to unseasonable and extended severe weather," Hoeven said. "The Secretary has recognized the significant effects adverse weather has had on our producers. The designation should help farmers, ranchers and those who depend on agriculture for a living, to recover from the financial impacts resulting from these conditions."
The declared counties include Adams, Benson, Bottineau, Bowman, Burke, Cavalier, Dickey, Divide, Emmons, Grand Forks, Grant, Griggs, Hettinger, Kidder, LaMoure, McHenry, McIntosh, McLean, Mercer, Mountrail, Nelson, Oliver, Pembina, Pierce, Ramsey, Ransom, Renville, Richland, Rolette, Sargent, Sheridan, Slope, Steele, Towner, Traill, Walsh and Ward.
Damage Assessment reports indicate these counties meet criteria for either a 30 percent or greater crop loss countywide or have one or more individual producers who had a 30 percent or greater crop loss and are unable to obtain credit from sources other than FSA.
With the disaster declaration, producers in 16 additional counties would qualify for emergency loan assistance according to the contiguous county rule. These counties include Barnes, Billings, Burleigh, Cass, Dunn, Eddy, Foster, Golden Valley, Logan, McKenzie, Morton, Sioux, Stark, Stutsman, Wells and Williams.
"Flooding, drought and severe weather prevented planting on more than a million acres, and resulted in significant crop damage, impacting both yield and quality," Hoeven said. "We can now provide additional resources for our farmers and ranchers, and agriculture-related businesses that felt the effects of continued bad weather." The disaster declaration clears the way for assistance in the form of emergency loan and debt restructuring programs through USDA or the Small Business Administration programs, and can be made available to eligible producers and agricultural-related businesses in the designated counties.
On June 9, Hoeven issued a flood emergency declaration for the state, which was upgraded to a disaster declaration on July 1. He requested that President Bush issue a Presidential Disaster Declaration, which was approved on July 22 for 20 counties and two Indian Reservations. On August 3, that declaration was expanded to include six additional counties and one Indian Reservation.
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