GLICKMAN DECLARES DELAWARE, KENTUCKY, MASSACHUSETTS, AND SOUTH CAROLINA AS
AGRICULTURAL DISASTER AREAS
                                             Release No 0343.99
                                                               
                                    Andy Solomon (202) 720-4623
                                          andy.solomon@usda.gov
                                                               
                                  Matt Kilbourne (202) 720-5239
                                Matt_Kilbourne@wdc.fsa.usda.gov
                                                               

GLICKMAN DECLARES DELAWARE, KENTUCKY, MASSACHUSETTS, AND SOUTH CAROLINA AS
AGRICULTURAL DISASTER AREAS

     WASHINGTON, August 19, 1999 Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman today
declared the states of Delaware, Kentucky, Massachusetts, and South Carolina
as agricultural disaster areas.  The declaration makes farmers in these states
and contiguous counties eligible for emergency, low-interest loans because of
losses due to excessive heat and drought.  

     "This drought is more than an inconvenience for many of America's
struggling farmers and ranchers," said President Clinton.  "It threatens their
very livelihood.  We have a responsibility to help them by providing low-
interest loans and other emergency assistance." 

     "This disaster declaration will help farmers in these states access
emergency, low-interest loans," said Glickman.  "But Congress must do more and
provide direct cash grants to help our farmers survive the brutal combination
of drought and record low prices."  

     Farmers have eight months to apply for emergency, low-interest loans to
help cover part of their actual losses.  To be eligible, farmers must have
suffered at least a 30 percent loss of normal production in a single
enterprise, be able to repay the loan and any other loans, be unable to obtain
credit elsewhere, and have adequate security.

     USDA has already provided over $10.7 million in Emergency Conservation
funds to assist with local water conservation projects in eight states.  USDA
also offers federal crop insurance and a program to compensate farmers for
certain non-insured crop losses.

     Glickman has already declared all or part of Arizona, Connecticut,
Maryland, New Jersey,  New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island,
Virginia, and West Virginia as disaster areas.  Due to their close proximity
to these states, certain counties in California, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana,
Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, Tennessee, Utah, and Vermont also qualify for
emergency loan assistance.  

     Glickman said that USDA is continuing to assess drought damage in other
states that are seeking disaster declarations, including Alabama, Montana,
Oregon, Utah, and Washington.  

     The drought has hit hardest the eastern portion of the United States,
from New England to western North Carolina, the northern half of Florida, and
parts of the Pacific Northwest.  According to the National Oceanographic and
Atmospheric Administration, this is the worst drought in the history of record
keeping for farmers in Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, and Rhode Island. 
President Clinton has formed a new drought policy task force to help
"coordinate our efforts and focus our attack on this problem."  

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