Farmers in nearly half of Illinois' 102 counties are eligible for federal emergency aid for losses stemming from extreme rains and flash flooding that swept through the state in June.
USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack on Monday granted a primary natural disaster designation for 12 counties and a contiguous natural disaster designation for 32 counties.
The designations allow farmers impacted by the storms to apply for funds from the Farm Service Agency, including emergency loans. Eligible farmers have until June 18, 2022, to apply for the loans, and can contact their local FSA office for more information.
The 12 primary counties are Calhoun, Cass, Edgar, Jefferson, Jersey, Macoupin, McLean, Monroe, Morgan, Moultrie, Sangamon, and St. Clair.
The 32 contiguous counties are Brown, Champaign, Christian, Clark, Clinton, Coles, DeWitt, Douglas, Ford, Franklin, Greene, Hamilton, Livingston, Logan, Macon, Madison, Marion, Mason, Menard, Montgomery, Perry, Piatt, Pike, Randolph, Schuyler, Scott, Shelby, Tazewell, Vermilion, Washington, Wayne, and Woodford.
Dan Puccetti, acting Illinois FSA state executive director, first requested the declarations from USDA on Sept. 29, according to a letter Vilsack sent Monday to Gov. J.B. Pritzker.
"USDA reviewed the Loss Assessment Reports and determined that there were sufficient production losses to warrant a Secretarial natural disaster designation," Vilsack wrote.
Puccetti's ask came after weeks of intense storms dropped multiple inches of rain, produced powerful winds and resulted in flooding across portions of the state.
In central Illinois, for instance, a three-day storm event in late June left behind 3 to 5 inches of rain and in some areas, up to 11 inches of rain.
Storms this August also generated 10 tornadoes across northern Illinois, leaving behind severe damage to crops and farm buildings.
The 44 county declarations follow a set of declarations USDA granted to 14 counties in June related to drought conditions in northern Illinois.
