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Vilsack declares disaster for some Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota counties after May freeze

USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack says parts of Wisconsin, Illinois, and Minnesota qualify for much-needed emergency credit because of natural disasters.  A Secretarial natural disaster designation was given to seven Wisconsin counties because of freezing temperatures that damaged new crops this past May. 

Jackson, Kenosha, Langlade, Marathon, Lincoln, Trempealeau, and Walworth counties in Wisconsin along with 24 neighboring counties have been declared eligible for USDA disaster assistance. That includes Boone, Lake, and McHenry counties in Illinois and Winona county Minnesota. The contiguous Wisconsin counties that are eligible for assistance are Buffalo, Clark, Eau Claire, Forest, Jefferson, Juneau, La Crosse, Menominee, Monroe, Oconto, Oneida, Portage, Price, Racine, Rock, Shawano, Taylor, Waukesha, Waupaca, and Wood.

USDA Emergency loans are available through the Farm Service Agency and can be used for the replacement of essential items such as equipment or livestock, reorganization of a farming operation or the refinance of certain debts.

The application deadline will be July 22^nd, 2022.