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Gov. Rauner seeks Disaster Declaration for flood damage

Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner is seeking a Secretarial Disaster Declaration for all counties in Illinois experiencing crop damage related to the recent flooding.

In a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack Rauner says since June 1, Illinois farmers have sustained significant crop damage due to excessive rainfall and subsequent flooding.  He says yields in the affected areas will be considerably lower this year.

Earlier this week Director of Agriculture Philip Nelson and Farm Service Agency officials toured Iroquois County, one of the hardest hit areas in the state.  It’s estimated that nearly 40 percent of that county’s crops were underwater at one time during the flooding.

The State Emergency Board will meet on July 27 to review the county loss assessments to determine county eligibility.