By TIM ALEXANDER
Illinois Correspondent

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Gov. Rod Blagojevich announced July 17 that federal disaster assistance is available from the USDA to help Illinois farmers in 91 counties who suffered crop losses due to flooding and excessive rain this spring.

USDA granted Blagojevich’s request to declare 74 Illinois counties as natural disaster areas. In addition, farmers in 17 contiguous counties were designated as eligible for assistance, which includes low-interest, emergency loans.

While some farmers were able to replant their crops after a January-June period on record as the wettest in Illinois history, others were unable to do so.

“High grain prices will help offset production losses for those farmers who were fortunate enough to get their crops in the ground after their fields dried out, but thousands of acres across Illinois were unsalvageable,” Blagojevich said in a news release.
“The loans that this declaration triggers will help those farmers who weren’t able to plant a crop. They can be used not only to pay production costs, but also to refinance existing debt and cover essential family living expenses.”

About 1.3 million acres of corn and soybeans – about six percent of all planted corn and soybean acreage in Illinois – suffered flood damage, according to USDA’s June Acreage report. Mark Lambert, director of communications for the Illinois Corn Growers Assoc., told Farm World he “wouldn’t hang his hat on” a firm number of total corn acres impacted across the state.

“I think the special survey done recently by USDA to augment the last crop report would be the best indicator,” he said.

USDA is currently surveying affected farmers and will publish updated statistics reflecting crop acreage losses in its August crop report.

Illinois farmers who believe they may qualify for federal disaster assistance should contact their county Farm Service Agency (FSA) office. Staff can verify whether farmers are eligible for emergency funds. Applications are considered on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the extent of losses, security available and the applicant’s repayment ability, according to the governor’s news release.

The 74 counties declared as primary disaster areas include: Adams, Alexander, Bond, Brown, Calhoun, Carroll, Cass, Champaign, Christian, Clark, Clay, Clinton, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, DeWitt, Douglas, Edgar, Edwards, Effingham, Fayette, Ford, Franklin, Fulton, Gallatin, Greene, Hamilton, Hancock, Hardin, Henderson, Henry, Iroquois, Jasper, Jefferson, Jersey, Jo Daviess, Johnson, Lawrence, Lee, Logan, Macon, Madison, Marion, Mason, Massac, McDonough, McLean, Menard, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Moultrie, Perry, Piatt, Pike, Pope, Pulaski, Randolph, Richland, Rock Island, Saline, Sangamon, Schuyler, Scott, St. Clair, Stephenson, Union, Vermilion, Wabash, Washington, Wayne, White, Whiteside and Williamson.

The 17 contiguous counties eligible for disaster assistance are Bureau, DeKalb, Jackson, Kankakee, Knox, LaSalle, Livingston, Macoupin, Mercer, Ogle, Peoria, Shelby, Stark, Tazewell, Warren, Winnebago and Woodford.