News Releases for November 2008
November 28, 2008
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Hoeven Requests USDA Secretarial Disaster Designation for 39 North Dakota Counties
USDA Secretarial Disaster Designation Request 
(662kb pdf)
BISMARCK, N.D. – Gov. John Hoeven today asked U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer to issue a Secretarial Disaster Designation for 39 North Dakota counties in response to excessively dry conditions in the western and central part of the state, coupled with late season rain and snow in the east that has challenged the harvesting of sugar beets, corn and soybeans. The request is based on damage assessments completed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) and a unanimous recommendation by the North Dakota USDA State Emergency Board.
"We are asking Secretary Schafer to recognize the significant effects that dry conditions and late season precipitation have had on the state's agriculture industry and its related service providers statewide," Hoeven said. "We are working to help farmers and ranchers recover from the financial impacts caused by these extreme weather conditions."
On August 12, 2008, Hoeven requested FSA to conduct damage assessments for all North Dakota counties due to dry conditions and preliminary crop loss reports. Specifically, County Emergency Boards were asked to assess losses in crop production and quality due to a multitude of perils, including frost damage, drought, high temperatures, insect and disease pressure, heavy rainfall, overland flooding, hail and high winds.
If approved, the Secretarial Disaster Designation would ensure appropriate help for North Dakota's agriculture industry, including disaster assistance now authorized by the Farm Bill and USDA emergency loan and debt restructuring programs for eligible producers. Small Business Administration assistance may also be available to agricultural-related businesses that have experienced loss.
Crop losses of 30 percent or greater countywide were found in 34 counties, including Adams, Billings, Bottineau, Bowman, Burke, Burleigh, Cass, Divide, Dunn, Emmons, Golden Valley, Grant, Hettinger, Kidder, LaMoure, Logan, McHenry, McKenzie, McLean, Mercer, Morton, Mountrail, Oliver, Pierce, Renville, Rolette, Sargent, Sheridan, Slope, Stark, Towner, Ward, Wells and Williams.
The assessments also indicate that Benson, Eddy, Foster, Grand Forks and Pembina counties meet the criteria of having one or more individual producers suffering a crop loss and unable to obtain credit from sources other than FSA. If Schafer approves the designation, the state's remaining 14 counties, contiguous to the qualifying counties, may also be eligible for assistance.
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