Following the severe flooding and storms in Missouri this spring, Gov. Jay Nixon has asked the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency to begin their assessments of damage in 56 Missouri counties.
The assessments are a first step toward declaring the counties primary disaster areas - which are defined as "those that lose at least 30 percent of the estimated yield of a single crop, or where individual farmers suffer production losses of more than 30 percent," according to a press release from Nixon's office.
And why is a "primary disaster area" an important designation for people seeking help?
The release states that after a county is designated as a "primary disaster area" eligible farmers can begin to be considered for assistance via the FSA or the federal Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments Program.
Here's the full list of 56 Missouri counties listed in Nixon's request:
Barry, Barton, Bollinger, Butler, Camden, Cape Girardeau, Carter, Cedar, Christian, Crawford, Dade, Dallas, Dent, Douglas, Dunklin, Franklin, Gasconade, Greene, Hickory, Howell, Iron, Jasper, Jefferson, Laclede, Lawrence, Madison, Maries, McDonald, Miller, Mississippi, New Madrid, Newton, Oregon, Osage, Ozark, Pemiscot, Perry, Phelps, Polk, Pulaski, Reynolds, Ripley, St. Francois, Ste. Genevieve, St. Louis, Scott, Shannon, Stoddard, Stone, Taney, Texas, Vernon, Washington, Wayne, Webster and Wright.