The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) granted Governor Sonny Perdue’s request for a primary disaster designation for 158 counties based on production losses due to drought and excessive temperatures. The designation was sent in response to Governor Perdue’s request submitted in November.
“Drought conditions are devastating to farmers and farming communities,” said Governor Perdue. “Georgia’s farmers have sustained significant economic losses due to the dry conditions in Georgia, and I’m pleased that financial relief will now be available to them.”
USDA declared 146 of Georgia’s 159 counties as primary natural disaster areas and 12 more as contiguous disaster areas. The only one of Georgia’s counties not covered by the primary or contiguous designation is McIntosh.
The 12 counties not included in the primary designation will continue to be evaluated as more assessment reports and determinations of losses are completed by the USDA. The 12 counties are: Appling, Atkinson, Bacon, Bulloch, Camden, Coffee, Glynn, Liberty, Long, Terrell, Ware, and Wayne.