In response to the drought conditions experienced during the 2023 growing season in Illinois, USDA Secretary Vilsack has expanded the list of counties designated as disaster areas.
The primary counties newly designated include McDonough*, McHenry, and Mercer. These counties faced severe drought impacts during the growing season.
Moreover, several contiguous counties are now included in the disaster designation: Boone, Cook, DeKalb, Fulton*, Hancock*, Henderson, Henry, Kane, Knox*, Lake, Rock Island, Schuyler*, and Warren*.
It's important to note that both the primary and contiguous counties are eligible for the same assistance measures.
To address the challenges brought on by the drought, Governor JB Pritzker worked in collaboration with Secretary Vilsack and the USDA to secure resources for farmers striving to recover from the natural disaster.
Though the drought conditions are showing signs of improvement across the state, the effects on crops and livestock remain. Jerry Costello II, Director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture, acknowledged the impact and expressed gratitude for the collaborative efforts to support farmers in need.
The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) will now be able to provide emergency loans to aid farmers in their recovery efforts. This assistance encompasses FSA emergency loans, which can be particularly valuable during times of crisis. Farmers in the designated counties have a window of eight months from the date of the Secretarial disaster declaration to apply for these emergency loans.
For those eligible, seeking information or initiating the application process can be done by contacting the local USDA Service Center. The extension of drought disaster designations aims to offer much-needed relief to farmers affected by the challenging growing season.
Note- *County also declared under a previous drought designation
Photo Credit: gettyimages-zhuda
Categories: Illinois, Weather