WASHINGTON, August 15, 2012 - TOMORROW, August 16, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will join RURAL TV and RFD-TV live at the Iowa State Fair to discuss the U.S. Department of Agriculture's continuing efforts to assist farmers and ranchers impacted by drought.

As part of continuing steps by the Obama Administration to assist livestock producers in response to the historic drought, USDA will utilize nearly $16 million in financial and technical assistance to immediately help crop and livestock producers in 19 states cope with the adverse impacts of the historic drought. In addition, USDA will initiate a transfer of $14 million in unobligated program funds into the Emergency Conservation Program. These funds can be used to assist in moving water to livestock in need, providing emergency forage for livestock, and rehabilitating lands severely impacted by the drought. Together these efforts should provide nearly $30 million to producers struggling with drought conditions.

Most recently, Secretary Vilsack signed disaster designations for an additional 44 counties in 12 states as primary natural disaster areas due to damage and losses caused by drought and excessive heat. Counties designated today are in the states of Arkansas, Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma and South Dakota. During the 2012 crop year, USDA has designated 1,628 unduplicated counties across 33 states as disaster areas-1,496 due to drought-making all qualified farm operators in the areas eligible for low-interest emergency loans.

Secretary Vilsack will be taking questions from Twitter on USDA drought assistance efforts. Questions may be submitted in advance by using the hashtags #askUSDA and #Iowastatefair.

 

Thursday, August 16, 2012
7 p.m. CDT

WHAT: Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will be LIVE on RURAL TV and RFD-TV to discuss the U.S. Department of Agriculture's continuing efforts to assist farmers and ranchers impacted by drought.

WHERE: Penningroth Media Center*
Iowa State Fairgrounds
East 30th Street and East University Avenue
Des Moines, IA

* Please enter the Penningroth Media Center from the west side of the Cattle Barn.

All media should arrive by 6:30 p.m. CDT.  A member of RURAL TV and RFD-TV or USDA staff will be there to assist.

Please note, the fair charges a $7 fee to enter the fairgrounds.

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