National & World Ag News Headlines Kentucky Requests USDA Assistance for Farmers Affected by Drought USAgNet - 09/22/2008 Governor Steve Beshear sent a request to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer requesting that USDA disaster assistance be made available to farmers across the commonwealth due to crop losses resulting from widespread drought conditions that began in early 2008 and continue today. In the letter, Gov. Beshear stated that "Kentucky has experienced limited rainfall this year, causing the state to move into drought status, which is supported by the Palmer Drought Index and Crop Moisture Index. "Our farmers were dealt a severe setback with the record drought of 2007 and are now forced to cope with another drought in 2008. The financial burden of two consecutive years of weather-related disasters could be overwhelming for many of our state's farm families if they do not receive disaster relief," Gov. Beshear said in his request. Evaluations also are currently underway to determine which Kentucky counties may have experienced crop damage as a result of the storms and strong winds that plagued the state this past weekend. When this damage assessment is complete, Gov. Beshear may issue a similar request for federal assistance needed for farmers to cope with crop loss due to storm damages. Copyright © 2010 - USAgNet.com. All Rights Reserved.