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Director Pelanda Requests Help from USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue for Ohio Farmers Impacted by Record Rainfall
Ohio Agriculture Director Dorothy Pelanda sent a letter to U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue, supporting Governor Mike DeWine's request for a Secretarial disaster designation and asking for consideration of specific recommendations regarding Ohio farmers.
Record rainfall has been devastating for Ohio farmers and is crippling the state's agriculture economy. Governor DeWine and Director Pelanda have been meeting with farmers across the state. As a result of these conversations, Director Pelanda is asking Secretary Perdue to consider specific changes, including:
- Provide certain exemptions in policies regarding Prevent Plant acres and cover crops
- Change in policies for Beginning Farmers
- Provide assistance for planting of cover crops for erosion control and reduced weed pressure purposes
"Farmers are telling us this is the worst year they have ever experienced," said Director Pelanda. "We need to help our Ohio farmers get through this devastating time and try to lessen the far-reaching impact this will have on agricultural businesses and the state's economy."
Director Pelanda praises Governor DeWine's initial step to request a Secretarial disaster designation from USDA in his letter to Secretary Perdue on June 14, 2019.
"This is an unprecedented situation, at least in my lifetime in Ohio," said Governor DeWine. "We hope to work with the federal government to make things easier for these farmers."
