The U.S. Department of Agriculture has issued a natural disaster designation for McLean County and 11 other counties following heavy rains earlier this year.
The move by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack allows the USDA Farm Service Agency to provide emergency loans to farmers who experienced excessive moisture and flash flooding this spring and summer.
“The resiliency and health of our farming community is critical to the overall health of the Illinois economy," Gov. JB Pritzker said in a statement. “On behalf of a grateful state, I would like to thank Secretary Vilsack for issuing a natural disaster designation to the counties working to recover from this year’s floods. These USDA loans will help our farmers restore their land and resume the business operations that feed and fuel our state.”
The natural disaster designations also include contiguous counties adding DeWitt, Livingston, Logan, Tazewell, and Woodford.
Farmers should contact their local USDA Service Center to ask questions or file a Notice of Loss.
