News Releases for September 2006
September 1, 2006
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Hoeven Requests USDA Agriculture Disaster Declaration
Secretarial Disaster Letter 
(725kb pdf)
BISMARCK, N.D. - Gov. John Hoeven today asked U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns to issue a Secretarial Disaster Declaration for all North Dakota counties. The request comes in response to drought conditions in North Dakota and following the completion of damage assessments by the Farm Service Agency. The extreme dry conditions have seriously affected the state’s agricultural industry and its related service providers statewide, Hoeven said.
“We are asking Secretary Johanns to recognize the significant effects that drought and severe weather have had on the lives of people who support our state’s agriculture industry,” Hoeven said. “We are working to help farmers and ranchers recover from the financial impacts caused by drought.”
Based on information provided in the Damage Assessment Reports, the North Dakota U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Emergency Board recommended by unanimous vote to certify the damage assessment reports preparatory to a disaster designation for all 53 North Dakota counties.
If Johanns approves the disaster designation, assistance in the form of emergency loan and debt restructuring programs through USDA or the Small Business Administration programs, can be made available to eligible producers and agricultural-related businesses. In addition, it will enable producers to income average on their tax returns.
“We will continue our effort to secure comprehensive disaster legislation to help farmers and ranchers,” Hoeven said. “There is a clear need for additional resources to address significant damage to the agriculture industry and businesses associated with agriculture.”
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