Federal Disaster Declaration Sought for Entire State

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Published on July 2 2019 10:53 am
Last Updated on July 2 2019 3:03 pm

BY DeLOSS JAHNKE, FARMWEEKNOW.COM 

Illinois ag leaders will request a federal disaster declaration, according to Illinois Director of Agriculture John Sullivan.

“Last week, I met with Bill Graff, the director of FSA here in Illinois, and we’ve been working, and the governor’s been very involved with this as well,” Sullivan told RFD Radio Network.

Sullivan said he and Graff discussed “a secretarial disaster declaration for the state of Illinois. They will be making a request to the US Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue for a disaster declaration for all 102 counties here in Illinois.”

Sullivan said he’s hopeful and confident USDA will recognize the situation that Illinois is still dealing with during a difficult planting and growing season.

According to the National Weather Service, Carbondale received 11.59 inches of precipitation more than average from January to June, with a total of 34.52 inches. In an average year that would be nine months’ worth, but this year it only took six. Moline is 11.26 inches more than average. Springfield is ahead by 10.58 inches, and Rockford has had 7.67 more inches than normal.