Prairie State Wire

USDA Secretary Thomas J. Vilsack has announced a disaster declaration for three counties in Illinois due to damage from tornadoes earlier this year. The affected counties, Marshall and Putnam, were hit by tornadoes on July 14 and 15, 2024, while Henry County was impacted on July 15.

Neighboring counties to these areas are also eligible for assistance under the declaration. These contiguous counties include Bureau, Knox, LaSalle, Mercer, Peoria, Rock Island, Stark, Whiteside, and Woodford.

"We appreciate the joint efforts of Governor JB Pritzker, Secretary Vilsack and the USDA to ensure Illinois farmers receive support to recover from these destructive storms," said Jerry Costello II, Director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture. "Producers in declared counties should contact their local USDA Service Center to confirm eligibility."

The designation allows the USDA Farm Service Agency to offer emergency loans to producers dealing with losses from natural disasters. Farmers in eligible regions have eight months from the announcement date to apply for these loans. They are encouraged to reach out to their local USDA Service Center for further information or to file a Notice of Loss.