Bureau County receives Natural Disaster Designation after early April storms

By JAYCE EUSTICE jeustice@shawmedia.com

The USDA has issued four separate disaster declarations for the state of Illinois due to tornadoes and drought that occurred during the 2023 Illinois growing season. Two of these declarations directly affect Bureau County residents.

The USDA reviewed the loss assessment reports and determined there were sufficient production losses to warrant natural disaster designation.

The first designation stems from a tornado that occurred on March 31 and primarily affected Bureau, Clark and Crawford counties and contiguously affected Cole, Henry, Lawrence, Putnam, Stark, Cumberland, Jasper, Lee, Richland, Whiteside, Edgar, La Salle and Marshall counties.

The second designation stems from tornados and high winds that occurred during March 31 through April 5 a primarily affected Henry, Mercer, Rock Island and Sangamon counties and contiguously affected Bureau, Knox, Menard, Stark , Cass, Logan, Montgomery, Warren, Christian, Macon, Morgan, Whiteside, Henderson and Macoupin counties.

A natural disaster designation allows the USDA Farm Service Agency to provide emergency loans to producers recovering from natural disasters. This assistance includes FSA emergency loans.

Farmers in eligible counties have eight months from the date of the Secretarial disaster declaration to apply for emergency loans. Those eligible can contact their local USDA Service Center for more information or to file a notice of loss.

The Bureau County USDA Service Center is located at 312 E. Backbone Rd. Suite 1 in Princeton and can be reached at 815-875-8732.