Statewide— Governor Eric J. Holcomb last week that the state of Indiana is requesting a U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretarial disaster designation for 88 counties due to losses caused by flooding and excessive rain this planting season.
The request was made in a letter to USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue and signed by Gov. Holcomb, Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch and Indiana Farm Service Agency Executive Director Steven Brown.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration data show that the past 12 months have been the wettest on record in the United States. A USDA disaster designation can be requested when at least 30 percent of one crop is damaged or lost in a county. Of the state’s 92 counties, 88 counties have reported data meeting that threshold.
The designation would allow emergency low-interest loans to be made available to farmers. The low-interest financing can also be made to counties contiguous to counties in the disaster zone.
Counties in our listening area for the requested designation include:
Bartholomew
Dearborn
Decatur
Fayette
Franklin
Jackson
Jennings
Ohio
Ripley
Switzerland
