Gov. Steve Beshear today announced that U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has granted his request for disaster assistance to Kentucky farm families in 91 counties, due to severe drought conditions that began Aug. 1.

“We are pleased that Sec. Vilsack has issued this disaster designation for Kentucky’s farm families,” said Gov. Beshear. “The current drought has critically impacted our agriculture sector, including early harvests with reduced yields and loss of water supply for livestock.” 

After review of Loss Assessment Reports and other information submitted by Kentucky’s Farm Service Agency Executive Director John McCauley, the USDA determined that there were sufficient production losses to warrant a Secretarial natural disaster designation in 63 counties.  Primary counties included in this disaster designation are as follows:

Anderson, Ballard, Boone, Breckinridge, Bullitt, Butler, Caldwell, Calloway, Campbell, Carlisle, Carroll, Christian, Clark, Crittenden, Daviess, Fayette, Fleming, Franklin, Fulton, Gallatin, Garrard, Grant, Graves, Grayson, Hancock, Hardin, Harrison, Henderson, Henry, Hickman, Hopkins, Jefferson, Jessamine, Kenton, LaRue, Lincoln, Livingston, Logan, Lyon, Madison, Marshall, McCracken, McLean, Meade, Muhlenberg, Nelson, Nicholas, Ohio, Oldham, Owen, Pendleton, Powell, Rowan, Scott, Shelby, Simpson, Spencer, Todd, Trigg, Trimble, Union, Webster, Woodford. 

Also as a result of this designation, 28 contiguous counties are eligible for assistance. Those counties are as follows:

Allen, Bath, Bourbon, Boyle, Bracken, Carter, Casey, Edmonson, Elliott, Estill, Green, Hart, Jackson, Lee, Lewis, Marion, Mason, Menifee, Mercer, Montgomery, Morgan, Pulaski, Robertson, Rockcastle, Taylor, Warren, Washington, Wolfe.

A Secretarial disaster designation provides farm families, meeting eligibility requirements, in both primary and contiguous counties the opportunity to be considered for disaster assistance from FSA, including emergency loans and Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments (SURE) Program.  Farmers in eligible counties have until July 3, 2011 to apply for emergency loan assistance.  SURE Program applications for 2010 crop losses will be accepted in 2011 when the 2010 farm revenue data becomes available.

To ensure farmers are able to transport alternate feed sources, such as hay and other forages, Gov. Beshear signed an executive order declaring a state of emergency and directing the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Department of Vehicle Regulation to waive all economic requirements normally associated with intrastate and interstate motor transportation for all vehicles providing relief supplies, including oversized/overweight permit fees. 

Additionally, the order also permits the waiving of certain size and weight restrictions, as appropriate to meet the needs of the agricultural community.  The order also directs all agencies to coordinate all waivers and relief activities through the Kentucky Department of Agriculture.  This executive order is effective immediately through May 1, 2011.

Information about USDA’s Disaster Assistance Programs and the Secretarial disaster designation process are available at www.fsa.usda.gov by clicking on the Disaster Assistance Program link in the left-hand column. Local FSA offices can provide affected farmers with further information.