Mo. Disaster Declared for Farmers in 29 Counties

Farmers in 29 counties are eligible for loans to make up for agriculture losses in recent ice storms, Gov. Matt Blunt said.

Blunt said the U.S. Department of Agriculture approved his request to declare the counties natural disaster areas, making available Farm Service Agency emergency physical loss loans.

“The ice storms left a trail of destruction and significant losses across the state for many Missourians including our farm families,” Blunt said in a written statement.

The declaration covers Barry, Barton, Camden, Christian, Cole, Crawford, Dade, Dallas, Franklin, Gasconade, Greene, Hickory, Jasper, Laclede, Lawrence, Maries, McDonald, Miller, Moniteau, Newton, Osage, Phelps, Polk, Pulaski, St. Clair, Stone, Warren, Webster and Wright counties.

Another 20 counties were named contiguous disaster areas, so farmers there may also qualify for FSA loss loans. Those include Bates, Benton, Boone, Callaway, Cedar, Cooper, Dent, Douglas, Henry, Iron, Jefferson, Lincoln, Montgomery, Morgan, St. Charles, St. Louis, Taney, Texas, Vernon and Washington counties.