Excessive Rain, Freezing Temps and Extreme Heat Cause Agricultural Disaster in 10 States
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated at least 123 additional counties as agricultural disaster areas across 10 states.
The crop disasters areas are in the states of Connecticut, Idaho, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Vermont and Washington.
USDA issued a total of 6 separate disaster declarations on October 1, which were posted on their website on October 17, 2013 due to the government shutdown.
New York – First Disaster Designation due to damages caused by excessive rain and related flooding, high winds and hail that began May 1, 2013 and continues.
Disaster areas are Albany, Essex, Monroe, Otsego, Seneca, Broome, Franklin, Montgomery, Putnam, Sullivan, Cayuga, Fulton, Oneida, Rensselaer, Ulster, Chenango, Genesee, Ontario, Saratoga, Washington, Clinton, Greene, Orange, Schenectady, Wayne, Columbia, Herkimer, Orleans, Schoharie, Westchester, Cortland, Jefferson, Oswego, Schuyler, Wyoming, Dutchess, Madison, Allegany, Delaware, Livingston, St. Lawrence, Tompkins, Bronx, Erie, Niagara, Steuben, Warren, Cattaraugus, Hamilton, Onondaga, Tioga, Yates, Chemung, Lewis and Rockland counties.
Also included in the above designation
- Connecticut: Fairfield and Litchfield counties.
- Massachusetts: Berkshire County.
- New Jersey: Passaic and Sussex counties.
- Pennsylvania: Pike, Susquehanna and Wayne counties.
- Vermont: Addison, Bennington, Chittenden, Grand Isle and
Rutland counties.
New York – Second Disaster Designation due to damages and losses caused by freeze and frost that occurred March 13 – May 28, 2013.
Crop Disaster Areas: Cayuga, Columbia and Oswego, Albany, Greene, Madison, Rensselaer, Ulster, Cortland, Jefferson, Oneida, Seneca, Wayne, Dutchess, Lewis, Onondaga and Tompkins counties.
Also included in the above designation
- Massachusetts: Berkshire County.
New York – Third Disaster Designation due to damages and losses caused by weather-related disease and fungi infestation that began June 19, 2013, and continues.
Disaster areas are Cayuga, Cortland, Oswego, Tompkins, Onondaga, Seneca and Wayne counties.
Oregon – Disaster Designation 1
USDA has designated three counties in Oregon as crop disaster areas due to damages caused by freezing temperatures that occurred April 8-30, 2013. The counties are Baker, Umatilla and Union.
Also included in the above designation
- Minnesota: Grant, Malheur, Morrow and Wallowa counties
- Idaho: Adams and Washington counties.
- Washington: Benton, Columbia and Walla Walla counties.
Oregon – Disaster Designation 2
USDA has designated nine counties in Oregon and Washington as crop disaster areas due to damages and losses caused by freezing temperatures and excessive rain that occurred March 22 – June 30, 2013.
- Oregon: Wasco , Clackamas, Hood River, Marion, Wheeler, Gilliam, Jefferson and Sherman counties
- Washington: Klickitat County
Oregon – Disaster Designation 3
USDA has designated nine counties in Oregon and Washington as agricultural disaster areas due to damages and losses caused by freezing temperatures and extreme heat that occurred April 8 – May 13, 2013. Those counties are
- Oregon: Gilliam, Morrow, Sherman, Umatilla, Wasco and Wheeler counties.
- Washington: Benton and Klickitat counties.
[All counties listed above were designated natural disaster areas Oct. 1, 2013.]
The latest designations raise the total [listed] crop disaster areas to at least 3,844 counties across 44 states so far this year.
The crop disasters for year 2013 include losses and damages caused by
- DROUGHT
- FLOOD
- Flash flooding
- Excessive rain, moisture, humidity
- Severe Storms, thunderstorms
- Ground Saturation, Standing Water
- Hail
- Wind, High Winds
- Freezing Temperatures and Excessive Rain
- Fire, Wildfire
- Heat, Excessive Heat, High temp. (incl. low humidity)
- Winter Storms, Ice Storms, Snow, Blizzard
- Frost, FREEZE
- Hurricanes, Typhoons, Tropical Storms
- Tornadoes
- Volcano
- Mudslides, Debris Flows, Landslides
- Heavy Surf
- Ice Jams
- Insects
- Tidal Surges
- Cold, Wet Weather
- Cool/Cold, Below-normal Temperatures
- Lightning
- Disease
- Freezing Temperatures
- Extreme Heat
- Excessive Rain and Related Flooding
- High Winds and Hail
- Weather-related Disease and Fungi Infestation
Notes:
1. USDA trigger point for a countywide disaster declaration is 30 percent crop loss on at least one crop.
2. The counties listed above as agricultural disaster areas includes both primary and contiguous disaster areas.
3. The U.S. has a total of 3,143 counties and county-equivalents.
4. A number of counties have been designated crop disaster areas more than once due to multiple disasters.
5. The disaster designations were approved by USDA between January 9 and September 25, 2013.
Secretary Vilsack also reminds producers that Congress has not funded the five disaster assistance programs authorized by the 2008 Farm Bill.These are SURE; the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP); the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm-Raised Fish (ELAP); the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP); and the Tree Assistance Program (TAP). Production losses due to disasters occurring after Sept. 30, 2011, are not eligible for disaster program coverage.
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