Farmers and their crops across Illinois are hurting this year due to drought and damaging storms, which has led the USDA to issue multiple national disaster declarations. According to the National Weather Service, Illinois has had more tornados than any other state so far in 2023. The Prairie State has been hit with approximately 91 tornados this year, and that’s not including damaging windstorms which have caused large amounts of destruction across the state, especially corn fields and other crops. The damage has been so severe, that a national disaster has been declared.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has just issued four separate national disaster declarations for Illinois. The declarations have been activated for the amount of damage caused during the 2023 Illinois growing season which spans across the whole state. The USDA Farm Service Agency will provide emergency loans to producers who are recovering from national disasters.
Primary and contiguous counties that are eligible for emergency loans:
- Designation 1: The tornado that occurred on March 31, 2023: Primary Counties: Bureau, Clark & Crawford. Contiguous Counties: Coles, Henry, Lawrence, Putnam, Stark, Cumberland, Jasper, Lee, Richland, Whiteside, Edgar, LaSalle & Marshall.
- Designation Number 2: A tornado that occurred during April 4, 2023: Primary County: Fulton. Contiguous Counties: Knox, Mason, Schuyler, Warren, McDonough, Peoria & Tazewell.
- Designation Number 3: Tornados and high winds that occurred during March 31, 2023, through April 5, 2023: Primary Counties: Henry, Mercer, Rock Island & Sangamon. Contiguous Counties: Bureau, Knox, Menard, Stark, Cass, Logan, Montgomery, Warren, Christian, Macon, Morgan, Whiteside, Henderson & Macoupin.
- Designation Number 4: Drought: Primary County: Randolph. Contiguous Counties: Jackson, Monroe, Perry, St. Clair & Washington.
USDA Service Center Information to file a notice of loss: USDA Service Center Locator
Illinois Farmers to receive a massive expansion of internet: reprosenthal.com/2023/06/28/illinois-getting-over-1b-to-expand-broadband-internet-for-farmers/