Easley seeks disaster aid in 85 counties
RALEIGH (AP) — Governor Mike Easley today asked federal agriculture officials for help because of drought-related crop losses in 85 counties.
Easley asked that the counties be declared federal disaster areas. Federal reports show a 30 percent or greater loss in at least one crop in most of the counties.
The governor says in a letter to the U.S agriculture secretary that the drought has devastated farms that are a big part of the state’s economy.
Easley says losses are being reported in tobacco, corn, cotton, hay, pasture, peanuts and soybeans. Cattle farmers in many areas have used up their winter feed and are looking for other ways to feed their livestock.
A federal disaster declaration would allow farmers to apply for low interest loans.
The counties for which Governor Mike Easley Friday asked to be declared eligible for federal disaster aid because of the drought:
Alamance
Alexander
Alleghany
Anson
Ashe
Avery
Bertie
Bladen
Brunswick
Buncombe
Burke
Cabarrus
Caldwell
Caswell
Catawba
Chatham
Cherokee
Chowan
Clay
Cleveland
Columbus
Craven
Cumberland
Davidson
Davie
Duplin
Durham
Edgecombe
Forsyth
Franklin
Gaston
Gates
Graham
Granville
Greene
Guilford
Halifax
Harnett
Haywood
Henderson
Hertford
Hoke
Iredell
Jackson
Johnston
Jones
Lee
Lenoir
Lincoln
Macon
Madison
McDowell
Mecklenburg
Mitchell
Montgomery
Moore
Nash
Northampton
Orange
Perquimans
Person
Polk
Randolph
Richmond
Robeson
Rockingham
Rowan
Rutherford
Sampson
Scotland
Stanly
Stokes
Surry
Swain
Transylvania
Union
Vance
Wake
Warren
Watauga
Wayne
Wilkes
Wilson
Yadkin
Yancey
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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