(DES MOINES) ñ Governor Terry E. Branstad sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack today requesting a Secretarial Disaster Designation for six Iowa counties due to damages caused by recent flooding along the Missouri River and its tributaries.| (DES MOINES) ñ Governor Terry E. Branstad sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack today requesting a Secretarial Disaster Designation for six Iowa counties due to damages caused by recent flooding along the Missouri River and its tributaries.
“Iowa producers are sustaining flood damage to their crops, farm buildings and equipment,” said Governor Branstad. “Given the expected duration of this event, Iowa could see significant production and agricultural losses in counties along the Missouri River.”
Counties included in the disaster designation request are: Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Monona, Pottawattamie and Woodbury.
The Governor’s request for the Secretarial Disaster Designation follows a review of agriculture damages conducted by the Farm Service Agency (FSA).
If granted, the Secretarial Designation will make disaster programs available to eligible applicants in the primary and contiguous counties. These programs include the availability of low-interest FSA emergency loans and the Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments (SURE) program, created in the 2008 Farm Bill. Iowans are encouraged to contact their local FSA office for further information.|
