Drought disaster declared

The Obama administration last week declared a natural disaster in Washoe, Clark and 10 small counties in Nevada as a result of the drought. This makes farmers and ranchers eligible for low interest emergency loans, which they may need because they face reductions in irrigation. But then, so are ranchers and farmers in the counties not designated as disaster areas—Elko, Eureka, Lincoln, Storey and White Pine.

A prepared statement by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack read, “Our hearts go out to those Nevada farmers and ranchers affected by recent natural disasters.”

Similar drought declarations affected more than a thousand counties in 26 states. In a prepared statement on an Idaho drought declaration, Vilsack said, “Our hearts go out to those Idaho farmers and ranchers affected by recent natural disasters.”