All of Mid-Missouri was included in Gov. Jay Nixon's request Thursday for a disaster declaration from the U.S. Agriculture Department, to help farmers in 101 counties impacted by excessive heat and a severe drought.
In fact, only a handful of counties in the northwest, southeast and Bootheel regions were not included in the governor's request.
Nixon's office said Thursday the governor asked Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to designate the 101 Missouri counties as primary disaster areas.
The designation would permit assistance from the USDA's Farm Service Agency to farmers in those counties, who have suffered losses to crops and property as a result of this summer's excessive heat and severe drought.