BISMARCK, N.D. -- Gov. Jack Dalrymple received word today that U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has agreed to expand the state's disaster declaration to include seven additional counties where North Dakota farmers sustained crop production losses due to flooding, frost and other damages.
"Farmers and ranchers faced a host of weather-related production losses which prevented the planting of a record 5.6 million acres of productive farmland," Dalrymple said. "This expanded disaster declaration makes more producers eligible for assistance."
Dalrymple asked Vilsack on Sept. 22 to issue a Secretarial Disaster Declaration for all counties that experienced significant production losses. On Oct. 25, Vilsack declared 42 counties primary disaster areas. Based on crop damage assessments, the USDA has now expanded the disaster declaration to include the counties of: Adams, Bowman, Burleigh, Logan, Morton, Slope and Stark.
A Secretarial Disaster Declaration makes farmers in primary and contiguous counties eligible for emergency loans or assistance through the federal Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments Program.
Counties first listed in the USDA's disaster declaration are: Barnes, Dickey, Grant, McLean, Ramsey, Stutsman, Benson, Divide, Griggs, Mercer, Ransom, Towner, Billings, Dunn, Hettinger, Mountrail, Renville, Traill, Bottineau, Eddy, La Moure, Nelson, Richland, Walsh, Burke, Foster, McHenry, Oliver, Rolette, Ward, Cass, Golden Valley, McIntosh, Pembina, Sargent, Wells, Cavalier, Grand Forks, McKenzie, Pierce, Steele and Williams.
