USDA determining MO flood damage

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is actively assessing damage throughout Missouri counties affected by storms and flooding in recent weeks.

Damage assessments were requested by Gov. Nixon for 56 Missouri counties, including Greene, Christian, Dallas, Polk, Webster, Dade and Lawrence.

The damage assessments are the first step in declaring counties primary disaster areas, those where at least 30 percent of the estimated yield of a single crop is expected to be lost or where individual farmers face production losses of more than 30 percent, according to a news release from the Missouri Department of Agriculture.

“Under Gov. Nixon’s leadership, the state of Missouri has connected with our partners on the local, regional and federal levels to assist those affected by severe flooding in southern Missouri,” Missouri Director of Agriculture Jon Hagler said in the release. “It is vital that we work to rebuild the lives and livelihoods of those affected, and beginning the damage assessment process is key to moving forward.”

If a county is designated a disaster area, it would allow eligible farmers to be considered for assistance from the USDA's Farm Service Agency, in which they could receive emergency loans or assistance from the federal Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments Program, the release said.

Counties have until May 20 to report damages and losses to the USDA.[[In-content Ad]]