Today Governor Tim Pawlenty received notice from U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns that the Governor’s request to make 36 Minnesota counties federal agricultural disaster areas has been granted. This declaration will allow drought-impacted farmers and ranchers to receive low-interest loans from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“I saw firsthand the devastating effects of this drought when I visited farmers earlier this summer,” Governor Pawlenty said. “Minnesota is experiencing the worst drought in nearly 20 years, and our farmers and ranchers have been affected tremendously. This declaration will help ensure the future of crop and animal agriculture, two very important parts of Minnesota’s strong and diverse economy.”

Severe dry weather has affected the northern two-thirds of Minnesota since early May. In Governor Pawlenty’s letter to Secretary Johanns, the Governor noted that “this widespread drought has already resulted in reduced crop, hay and pasture yields in nearly half of all Minnesota counties. Corn, soybeans, wheat, oats, alfalfa, and hay crops have been hit especially hard by the extremely dry conditions.”

The 36 counties are Aitkin, Anoka, Beltrami, Benton, Carlton, Cass, Chisago, Clearwater, Cook, Crow Wing, Hennepin, Hubbard, Isanti, Itasca, Kanabec, Kittson, Koochiching, Lake, Lake of the Woods, Mahnomen, Marshall, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Norman, Pennington, Pine, Polk, Pope, Red Lake, Roseau, St. Louis, Sherburne, Stearns, Todd, Wadena and Wright.

Counties had previously been asked to submit disaster assessment reports to the Farm Service Agency during the drought. This disaster declaration from the USDA allows affected farmers to receive the assistance of the United States Department of Agriculture, specifically the low-interest Emergency Loan Program administered by the Farm Service Agency. Emergency loan funds may be used to restore or replace essential property, pay all or part of production costs associated with the disaster year, pay essential family living expenses, reorganize the farming operation and refinance certain debts.