The state’s disaster declaration has been expanded to include Morton and six additional counties where North Dakota farmers sustained crop production losses due to flooding, frost and other damages.

“Farmers and ranchers faced a host of weather-related production losses which prevented the planting of a record 5.6 million acres of productive farmland,” Governor Jack Dalrymple said. “This expanded disaster declaration makes more producers eligible for assistance.”

Dalrymple asked U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on Sept. 22 to issue a Secretarial Disaster Declaration for all counties that experienced significant production losses. On Oct. 25, Vilsack declared 42 counties primary disaster areas. Based on crop damage assessments, the USDA has now expanded the disaster declaration to include the counties of Morton, Adams, Bowman, Burleigh, Logan, Slope and Stark.

A Secretarial Disaster Declaration makes farmers in primary and contiguous counties eligible for emergency loans or assistance through the federal Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments Program.