Help available for Fairfield County farmers dealing with damage from drought

Fairfield County is one of 85 Ohio counties where farmers can get government help to deal with crop damage from the summer drought.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture granted Gov. John Kasich's request for disaster designation following the severe heat, rainfall shortages and other weather-related disasters that struck large areas of the state this year.

"Agriculture is an essential component of Ohio's economy and our heritage, and if our farmers and Ohio's food industry are suffering, Ohio suffers," he said. "The federal declaration will help keep farmers on their feet and mitigate some of the damage caused by the bad weather."

Additionally, the EO instructed state agencies to work with Ohio's farmers to minimize the potential environmental and economic impact of an agricultural drought. To this end, the Ohio Department of Agriculture, Ohio State University Extension and FSA will host a series of meetings in September at which the public can speak with experts on drought mitigation practices.

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