Governor Nixon wants all of Missouri–every county—declared a disaster area. He bases the request on information gathered by Farm Service Agency offices throughout the state.
The governor tells agriculture secretary Tom Vilsack farmers in every county have lost at least 30 percent of their crop yields.
State FSA Farm Loan chief Dan Gieseke says Missouri is dry as a bone top to bottom, east to west.
Gieseke says a lot of crop farmers are spectators, a lot of combines will remain parked this fall, and a lot of cattle are going to market early and at increasingly lower prices.
If Missouri gets the disaster declaration, farmers can get emergency loans and oher services from the Farm Service Agency.