USDA Designates 597 Counties in 2013 as Drought Disaster Areas – Seventeen in Utah

Source: USDA

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today designated 597 counties in 14 states as primary natural disaster areas due to drought and heat, making all qualified farm operators in the areas eligible for low-interest emergency loans. These are the first disaster designations made by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 2013.

The 597 counties have shown a drought intensity value of at least D2 (Drought Severe) for eight consecutive weeks based on U.S. Drought Monitor measurements, providing for an automatic designation. The Drought Monitor is produced in partnership by USDA, the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. It helps USDA determine county disaster designations due to drought. The Drought Monitor measures drought intensity on a scale from D1 to D4, as follows:

D1: Moderate Drought
D2: Severe Drought
D3: Extreme Drought
D4: Exceptional Drought

Visit www.usda.gov/drought for the latest information regarding USDA’s drought response and assistance, and http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/DM_state.htm?UT,W for information on Utah. Southeast AgNet