Virginia counties asking for federal drought disaster aid

Thursday, Jul 26, 2007 - 12:19 PM

The governor's office is helping is helping ten counties with requests for federal drought disaster designations: Bland, Lee, Washington, Brunswick, Russell, Wise, Caroline, Scott, Culpeper, and Smyth.

Disaster declarations make farm operators in both primary and adjacent areas eligible to be considered for low-interest emergency loans from the U-S Department of Agriculture, if they meet certain eligibility requirements.

Meanwhile, two Southside counties that lost much of their fruit crop in freezing temperatures in early April have gotten a federal disaster declaration.

Governor Tim Kaine says the U-S-D-A designated Carroll and Patrick Counties primary natural disaster areas due to the cold temperatures that occurred from April sixth through April tenth.

Farmers in adjacent localities also may be eligible for federal assistance: the counties of Floyd, Grayson, Pulaski, Franklin, Henry and Wythe, and the city of Galax.

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)