Capital Journal editorial: Allow for federal fund drought relief.
The Hughes County Commission declared a natural disaster drought emergency Monday, hoping to generate federal and state money to help farmers who have lost crops due to the ongoing drought.
Brian Stewart, director of the Farm Service Agency, reported that 300 farmers in the county have been impacted by the dry conditions, which were created by the area receiving just 61 percent of normal precipitation this year.
Pierre has received 1.86 inches of rain this month, which is .57 inches below the 30 year norm for the first 19 days of June, and just 6.31 inches of moisture since Jan. 1, down 33 percent from normal.
Stewart calculated wheat farmers in the county have lost at least $16 million in lost crops (3.32 million bushels of winter wheat) since March 1 because of the drought and a late frost.
He predicted that even with additional rainfall, many of the remaining crops are too far gone to be saved.
The drought disaster declaration by the commission claims the drought is a natural disaster beyond the capabilities of the county and state, asking for federal assistance, hoping to make emergency loans available.
It’s no secret that farmers and ranchers have been having a tough time lately.
Low prices and extreme weather conditions have made their profession even more perilous than usual.
Our hope is that Congress will take swift action, providing farmers relief in the way of low interest loans to help them recover from this natural disaster.