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JEFFERSON CITY, MO. -- Gov. Jay Nixon announced today that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated 28 Missouri counties as primary natural disaster areas because of rain, strong winds and flooding which caused agricultural production losses. Gov. Nixon requested the designation from Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack on Sept. 24. The designation from the USDA covers damages sustained by Missouri farmers during the period of Feb. 1, 2009, through July 31, 2009. 

“Missouri farmers suffered significant losses from storms this spring and summer,” Gov. Nixon said. “Weather caused a delay in planting, decreased yields and resulted in economic difficulty for many family farmers. I am pleased that Secretary Vilsack has agreed to provide the assistance that Missouri farmers need during this time by granting the disaster designation. Missouri’s agricultural industry is the backbone of our economy, and we must do everything we can to protect it.”

The designation allows eligible farmers in primary disaster areas and contiguous counties to be considered for assistance from the USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA). Farmers who qualify may receive FSA emergency loans or assistance from the Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments Program.  Affected farmers must apply to FSA, which considers each application individually on its merits. In addition to farmers in the 28 primary disaster area counties, the designation also permits farmers in 47 contiguous disaster counties to seek available federal assistance.

Counties designated as primary natural disaster areas include: Adair, Caldwell, Carroll, Cedar, Crawford, Daviess, DeKalb, Dunklin, Gentry, Harrison, Knox, Laclede, Marion, Mercer, Mississippi, Montgomery, New Madrid, Nodaway, Pemiscot, Phelps, Pulaski, Ripley, Schuyler, Scotland, Shelby, Sullivan, Warren and Worth.

Additionally, the designation names the following as contiguous disaster counties: Andrew, Atchison, Audrain, Barton, Buchanan, Butler, Callaway, Camden, Carter, Chariton, Clark, Clinton, Dade, Dallas, Dent, Franklin, Gasconade, Grundy, Holt, Iron, Lafayette, Lewis, Lincoln, Linn, Livingston, Macon, Maries, Miller, Monroe, Oregon, Osage, Pike, Polk, Putnam, Ralls, Randolph, Ray, Saline, Scott, St. Charles, St. Clair, Stoddard, Texas, Vernon, Washington, Webster and Wright.

For more information, contact the local FSA office, or the Missouri State FSA office at (573) 876-0980.