More than half of U.S. counties now are classified by the federal government as natural disaster areas mostly because of the drought.
The U.S. Agriculture Department on Wednesday added 218 counties in a dozen states as disaster areas. That brings this year's total to 1,584 in 32 states, more than 90% of them because of the drought.
The latest additions make drought-affected farmers and ranchers eligible for federal aid including emergency loans.
The USDA also announced ranchers may access some 3.8 million acres of conservation land for haying and grazing, and crop insurance companies have agreed to provide farmers a penalty-free grace period on insurance premiums in 2012.
Counties included in the announcement are in Arkansas, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Mississippi, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee and Wyoming.
Earlier this month, Nevada affirmed the United States Department of Agriculture's automatic drought disaster declaration, which applies to all 17 Nevada counties. The disaster designation makes all qualified farm operators in the designated areas eligible for low interest emergency loans. Additionally, today the USDA announced new flexibility and assistance in the U.S. Department of Agriculture's major conservation programs to get much-needed help to livestock producers and plans to encourage crop insurance companies to provide a short grace period for farmers on unpaid insurance premiums.
USDA's announcement allows flexibility within four programs: the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP), and the Federal Crop Insurance Program.
According to the Nevada State Division of Emergency Management, Division of Water Resources and the State Climatology Office, current conditions in Nevada primarily affect agriculture, wildlife and wildfire. The current conditions are not affecting municipal water systems, groundwater availability for municipal water systems nor future commercial economic development.
"I encourage affected Nevada farmers and ranchers to contact the federal Farm Service Agency's state office for assistance," Governor Brian Sandoval said. "At a state level, I have authorized the activation of the State Emergency Operations Center as an information center and to help coordinate the response. Additionally, I've directed state agencies to work with the federal government to ensure Nevadans receive the assistance they need."
Affected Nevada farmers and ranchers should contact the federal Farm Service Agency state office, located in Reno at (775) 784-5411 x117, in person at 1755 E Plumb Lane, Suite 202 or via the internet at http://1.usa.gov/NUvxgz
