DES MOINES, Iowa — More help for Iowa's agricultural community is being sought, as Gov. Kim Reynolds announced she's requested a Secretarial Disaster Designation from U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue.
The governor's office said the designation request covers 57 counties which faced damage from last week's historic derecho. The request is in addition to President Trump's disaster designation, and would allow Iowa producers to access USDA disaster programs.
If approved, Gov. Reynolds' office a Secretarial Designation would enable Iowa producers in designated counties and all contiguous counties to immediately access Farm Service Agency (FSA) emergency loans.
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“The derecho storm dealt another gut punch to Iowa farmers, wiping out whole fields, demolishing grain bins and other farm buildings,” Gov. Reynolds said in a statement.
“Iowa farmers serve as a critical anchor for the entire world’s food supply and it’s critical they have our support. I spoke with Sec. Perdue earlier this week and regularly engage with the Trump Administration to ensure their voices are heard as we continue to secure federal assistance.”
The counties included in the request are:
- Adair
- Audubon
- Benton
- Black Hawk
- Boone
- Buchanan
- Calhoun
- Carroll
- Cass
- Cedar
- Cherokee
- Clinton
- Crawford
- Dallas
- Delaware
- Des Moines
- Dubuque
- Greene
- Grundy
- Guthrie
- Hamilton
- Hardin
- Harrison
- Henry
- Ida
- Iowa
- Jackson
- Jasper
- Jefferson
- Johnson
- Jones
- Keokuk
- Lee
- Linn
- Louisa
- Madison
- Mahaska
- Marion
- Marshall
- Monona
- Monroe
- Muscatine
- Plymouth
- Polk
- Pottawattamie
- Poweshiek
- Sac
- Scott
- Shelby
- Story
- Tama
- Van Buren
- Wapello
- Warren
- Washington
- Webster
- Woodbury