The additional counties are in Indiana, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Nebraska and Wisconsin. USDA said the US Drought Monitor currently reports that two-thirds of the continental US is in a moderate to exceptional drought. USDA has designated 1,369 counties across 31 states as disaster areas, with 1,234 designated due to drought.
Farm operators in designated counties are eligible for low-interest emergency loans. As the Secretary of Agriculture, Vilsack is authorized to designate disaster counties to make disaster assistance programs available to farmers and ranchers.
