Arkansas’ congressional delegation is supporting a request for a Secretarial Disaster Designation by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for 18 counties impacted by flooding, high winds, hail, tornadoes and other storm damage.
Impacted counties are Arkansas, Benton, Bradley, Calhoun, Chicot, Desha, Drew, Jefferson, Lawrence, Lincoln, Lonoke, Monroe, Phillips, Pope, Prairie, Pulaski, White and Yell, according to a news release.
U.S. Sens. John Boozman and Tom Cotton — along with U.S. Reps. Rick Crawford, French Hill, Steve Womack and Bruce Westerman — wrote Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to join Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s support of the Arkansas USDA Farm Service Agency’s request for Secretarial Disaster Designation.
“Agriculture is vital to the state, and losses our producers have endured will cause significant economic impacts,” members wrote in the letter. “Since April 1, 2021, the flooding and other storms have either damaged or prevented the planting of row crops such as rice, soybeans, cotton, corn, and wheat; as well as certain fruit and vegetable crops.”
They joined the governor in supporting the request for Secretarial Disaster Designation, submitted on June 25 and asked that the secretary declare the 18 counties as agriculture-related disaster areas.