Durbin and Obama Commend USDA Decision to Make Illinois Farmers Eligible for Low-Interest Loans
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
For Immediate Release
Contact: Christina Mulka (Durbin) or Michael Ortiz (Obama)
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Barack Obama (D-IL) today commended a decision by the Secretary of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Ed Schafer, to make farm operators in ninety-one Illinois counties eligible to be considered for low-interest emergency loans from the Farm Service Agency.
"In the wake of severe flooding that ruined crops and damaged homes and businesses, the decision made by the Secretary of Agriculture today is vital for Illinois to fully recover," said the Illinois Senators. "We will continue to work with federal, state and local officials to see farmers benefit from this assistance as soon as possible."
The counties that are affected by today's declaration include: Adams, Alexander, Bond, Brown, Bureau, Calhoun, Carroll, Cass, Champaign, Christian, Clark, Clay, Clinton, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, De Kalb, De Witt, Douglas, Edgar, Edwards, Effingham, Fayette, Ford, Franklin, Fulton, Gallatin, Greene, Hamilton, Hancock, Hardin, Henderson, Henry, Iroquois, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Jersey, Jo Daviess, Johnson, Kankakee, Knox, La Salle, Lawrence, Lee, Livingston, Logan, Macon, Macoupin, Madison, Marion, Mason, Massac, McDonough, McLean, Menard, Mercer, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Moultrie, Ogle, Peoria, Perry, Piatt, Pike, Pope, Pulaski, Randolph, Richland, Rock Island, Saline, Sangamon, Schuyler, Scott, Shelby, St. Clair, Stark, Stephenson, Tazewell, Union, Vermillion, Wabash, Warren, Washington, Wayne, White, Whiteside, Williamson, Winnebago and Woodford.