Southeast Missouri counties declared disaster areas after summer drought

Farmers in 25 of the 28 counties in the 8th Congressional District will be eligible for emergency loans because of severe drought, U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson announced Thursday.

In granting the disaster assistance request, the U.S. Department of Agriculture named 22 Missouri counties, including 20 in the 8th District, as primary disaster areas, and five additional counties were named as eligible for assistance because they are contiguous with the disaster area.

Farmers and ranchers in the areas under the disaster declaration will be eligible for low-interest emergency loans from the Farm Service Agency. "The USDA announcement is welcome news for farmers and ranchers who have been suffering as a result of drought conditions across the region," Emerson said.

The declaration area includes Cape Girardeau, Scott, Perry and Bollinger counties. Only the westernmost counties in the district are not included.

The declaration is the third agricultural disaster declaration of the year for the region. On June 1, Cape Girardeau County was included as a contiguous county to a freeze disaster for Southern Illinois that included Union and Alexander counties in Illinois. On June 26, the USDA declared a disaster for the effect of freezing weather on farmers in most of Missouri, including Cape Girardeau, Scott, Bollinger and Perry counties.