Governor Gregoire Requests Disaster Assistance for Farmers in Ten Washington Counties

For Immediate Release: October 10, 2007

OLYMPIA � Governor Chris Gregoire on Friday asked Acting Secretary of Agriculture Chuck Conner to designate ten Washington counties as farm disaster areas due to weather related losses. The damage was the result of extreme weather conditions, including drought and lightning, which have severely impacted a number of Washington agricultural producers.

�I have asked the USDA to declare this drought and lightning damage a disaster so that Washington farming families can take advantage of federal low-interest loans,� said Gov. Gregoire. �I hope this federal assistance will soon be available soon for every farmer that needs it.�

The request includes disaster declarations for Asotin, Columbia, Ferry, Garfield, Klickitat, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Stevens, Walla Walla and Whitman counties.

The declaration could provide emergency low-interest Farm Service Agency loans to cover production and farm property losses to farmers in the primary counties, as well as adjoining counties.

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