U.S. Flag and Missouri State Flag Kit Bond, Sixth Generation Missourian
 

SEC. JOHANNS APPROVES TALENT-BOND REQUEST FOR AID FOR 85 DROUGHT-STRICKEN MISSOURI COUNTIES

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) U.S. Senators Kit Bond and Jim Talent today announced that U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Mike Johanns approved their request for approval of the Governor’s request for a disaster declaration for 85 Missouri counties affected by extreme drought.

“Today’s news will bring much needed relief to Missouri farmers. Our farmers and ranchers are facing a critical challenge – severe and persistent drought – and approval of our request for a disaster declaration is an important step in getting them the help the need,” said Senator Kit Bond.

“We need to do everything we can to help Missouri farmers and ranchers cope with one of the driest growing seasons in recent memory,” said Sen. Talent, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee. “A severe drought is a natural disaster that hurts our farmers, jobs and the health of our state’s economy and this assistance is vital to our producers. Senator Bond and I thank Secretary Johanns for moving quickly to approve our request.”

The disaster declaration names 85 of Missouri’s 114 counties primary disaster areas: Andrew, Audrain, Barry, Barton, Bates, Benton, Boone, Buchanan, Caldwell, Callaway, Camden, Carroll, Cass, Cedar, Christian, Clark, Clay, Cole, Cooper, Crawford, Dade, Dallas, Daviess, Dent, Douglas, Franklin, Gasconade, Gentry, Greene, Harrison, Henry, Hickory, Howard, Iron, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Johnson, Knox, Laclede, Lafayette, Lawrence, Lewis, Lincoln, Linn, McDonald, Madison, Maries, Mercer, Miller, Moniteau, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Newton, Osage, Ozark, Pettis, Phelps, Pike, Platte, Polk, Pulaski, Putnam, Ralls, Randolph, Ray, Reynolds, St. Charles, St. Clair, St. François, St. Louis, Ste. Genevieve, Schuyler, Scotland, Shannon, Stone, Sullivan, Texas, Vernon, Warren, Washington, Webster, Worth and Wright.

The drought threatens to do considerable damage to our Missouri’s economy. Many areas of the state have seen corn and soybeans yields reduced due to drought conditions. Additionally, 62 percent of the pastures in the state are in poor or very poor condition. Livestock producers especially in Southwest and West central Missouri have been devastated, and some are being forced to sell their animals.

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