U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns notified today Governor Tim Pawlenty that his request to make 36 Minnesota counties federal agricultural disaster areas has been granted. This declaration will allow drought-impacted farmers and ranchers to receive low-interest loans from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Chisago County is among those 36 counties.

ìMinnesota is experiencing the worst drought in nearly 20 years, and our farmers and ranchers have been affected tremendously. This declaration will help ensure the future of crop and animal agriculture, two very important parts of Minnesotaís strong and diverse economy,î the governor said.

Severe dry weather has affected the northern two-thirds of Minnesota since early May.Ý

The 36 counties are Aitkin, Anoka, Beltrami, Benton, Carlton, Cass, Chisago, Clearwater, Cook, Crow Wing, Hennepin, Hubbard, Isanti, Itasca, Kanabec, Kittson, Koochiching, Lake, Lake of the Woods, Mahnomen, Marshall, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Norman, Pennington, Pine, Polk, Pope, Red Lake, Roseau, St. Louis, Sherburne, Stearns, Todd, Wadena and Wright.

Counties had previously been asked to submit disaster assessment reports to the Farm Service Agency during the drought.

This disaster declaration from the USDA allows affected farmers to receive the assistance of the United States Department of Agriculture, specifically the low-interest Emergency Loan Program administered by the Farm Service Agency. Emergency loan funds may be used to restore or replace essential property, pay all or part of production costs associated with the disaster year, pay essential family living expenses, reorganize the farming operation and refinance certain debts.