News Releases for September 2006
September 13, 2006
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Hoeven: U.S.D.A. Approves N.D. Secretarial Disaster Declaration
BISMARCK, N.D. - Gov. John Hoeven today said the U.S. Department of Agriculture has approved his request of September 1 for a Secretarial Disaster Declaration covering all 53 North Dakota counties.
The secretarial disaster declaration comes in response to severe drought conditions in North Dakota based on damage assessment reports 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. Hoeven declared a statewide Agricultural Drought Disaster on June 28, 2006, and asked the Farm Service Agency to prepare damage assessment reports.
"While we are grateful for this assistance to our farmers and ranchers, and those who depend on our agriculture industry, we continue to seek a comprehensive drought disaster bill," Hoeven said.
The decretarial disaster designation was made based on information provided in Damage Assessment Reports prepared by the Farm Service Agency and certified by unanimous vote by the North Dakota U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Emergency Board.
Assistance will come 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 addition, it enables producers to income average on their tax returns.
"Although this designation is helpful, at the same time, it underscores our need for comprehensive disaster legislation," Hoeven said. "We will continue to use all the tools available to us to help farmers and ranchers."
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