U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson, R-Cape Girardeau, sent a letter Monday to Acting U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Chuck Conner asking for his consideration of Gov. Matt Blunt’s request for an agriculture disaster declaration in 22 southeast Missouri counties, including Howell.
Counties requested for declaration of natural disaster areas are: Bollinger, Butler, Cape Girardeau, Carter, Dunklin, Howell, Iron, Jefferson, Madison, Mississippi, New Madrid, Oregon, Pemiscot, Perry, Reynolds, Ripley, St. Francois, Ste. Genevieve, Scott, Stoddard, Washington and Wayne.
“This year, our agriculture producers have worked under some of the toughest weather conditions in the nation. They are in the only industry where you buy your inputs at retail cost and sell them at wholesale costs,” said Emerson. “They pay shipping costs both ways. When production is high, prices are low and when prices are favorable, good yields can be tough to come by. The feed supply for half a herd of cattle or a soybean crop can be wiped out by a single natural disaster even after a whole year of hard work and planning.”
She added, “The impact of this year’s drought will be no less difficult for those who make a living from the land because of increased commodity prices.”