WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, and Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, today announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated 25 counties in Kansas as natural disaster areas due to production losses caused by severe drought situations, excessive heat and high winds that have occurred since the beginning of the year.  

“Our farmers and ranchers have had a rough go this year and I’m pleased USDA acted swiftly in designating these counties in Kansas as disaster areas,” Roberts said. “The dry conditions have had a devastating impact on the wheat and forage crops and the vital resources USDA provides will be critically important assets to our producers.”

“Secretary Vilsack’s latest disaster designation is necessary for Kansas farmers and ranchers in the affected counties,” Moran said. “During a time when producers are experiencing the devastating effects of drought, USDA’s decision will provide needed assistance. Access to USDA emergency loans and the permanent disaster assistance program will help agricultural producers meet operating requirements, in spite of the exceedingly dry conditions.”

USDA designated for following 25 counties as disaster areas: Barber, Barton, Butler, Clark, Comanche, Cowley, Edwards, Ellis, Ford, Graham, Gray, Harper, Harvey, Hodgeman, Kingman, Lincoln, Norton, Phillips, Reno, Rice, Russell, Sedgwick, Stafford, Sumner and Trego. 

Farmers and ranchers also qualify for disaster assistance in the 24 contiguous counties of Chase, Chautauqua, Decatur, Elk, Ellsworth, Finney, Gove, Greenwood, Haskell, Kiowa, Marion, McPherson, Meade, Mitchell, Ness, Osborne, Ottawa, Pawnee, Pratt, Rooks, Rush, Saline, Sheridan and Smith.

These counties will now be eligible for important disaster programs, such as the emergency loan program administrated by the Farm Service Agency (FSA) and the Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments Program (SURE). These programs will help the farmers and ranchers of Kansas make it through one of the most difficult growing seasons on record.

These counties are added to the 21 counties USDA designated as natural disaster areas last month. You can click here to view those counties.

Affected farmers should contact their local FSA office for more information by clicking here.

Click here to read the text of the letter Sen. Moran sent to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack on June 16, 2011.