With significant portions of Minnesota in a "severe" drought according to the National Drought Mitigation Center, Governor Tim Pawlenty today traveled to the Red River Valley in northwestern Minnesota where conditions have been particularly dry.

Governor Pawlenty examined crops and met with farmers and representatives from farm commodity groups at the Chad Anvinson farm near Oslo, Minnesota, about 25 miles north of East Grand Forks. Mr. Anvinson grows wheat, soybeans and sugar beets. Governor Pawlenty said that he has directed state agencies, including the Department of Agriculture, to explore ways the state could provide assistance to drought-affected farmers, including possible disaster recovery interest-free loan programs, crop insurance reimbursement programs or through other methods. The Governor also announced that he will promptly request an agricultural disaster declaration by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture if threshold damage levels are met. Counties have been asked to submit disaster assessment reports to the Farm Service Agency by August 1 and the USDA State Emergency Board is meeting on August 7 to make a recommendation to the Governor.

“A lack of rain is only an inconvenience to some, but to farmers it can be disastrous and costly,” Governor Pawlenty said. “Agriculture is the backbone of Greater Minnesota’s economy. We will work closely with farmers and USDA officials to assess the damage and do whatever we can to help them get through this extremely hot and dry summer.”

The Governor also announced that the State Drought Task Force (SDTF) will be meeting on August 1. The SDTF is convened by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) when the state enters a drought watch. Members of the task force include the Director of DNR Waters; State Climatologist, DNR Waters; Director of DNR Fish and Wildlife; Director of DNR Ecological Services; Section Manager, DNR Forestry; Executive Director of the Board of Water and Soil Resources; Director of Agronomy and Plant Protection, Department of Agriculture; State Statistician, Department of Agriculture; and Director of Environmental Health, Department of Health.

The SDTF coordinates state and federal action and manages the state’s drought response, including monitoring hydrologic conditions, regulating water appropriations from surface and ground water sources, resolving water use conflicts, emergency and conservation planning and providing information and technical assistance.

The National Drought Mitigation Center says that northwestern, central, and east central regions of Minnesota are in the "Severe Drought" category. Severe drought impact means that crop or pasture losses are likely, water shortages may be common, and water restrictions may be imposed. In drought-affected areas, crops such as corn, soybeans, wheat, potatoes sugar beets and forage crops may be impacted.

The Agricultural Statistics Service reports that topsoil moisture for 75% of Minnesota's landscape is now “short” or “very short.” Minnesota's corn and soybean crops are in the midst of its critical reproductive stages. Heat and moisture stress during this period leads to significant yield loss.

According to the DNR, Minnesota’s last serious drought occurred in 1987-89. The warm, dry winter of 1986-87 marked the beginning of this drought period and conditions became very serious in June 1988 when Mississippi River flow levels threatened to drop below the Minneapolis Water Works intake pipes at Fridley.

The state also suffered through an unusually dry period in 1999-2000, particularly in southwestern Minnesota where precipitation totals in some communities were eight inches below normal for the period from June 1999 to March 2000. By late May 2000, dryness concerns had shifted from the southwest to parts of east central Minnesota, but no region was classified in a drought category at that time.

Click here to listen to Governor Pawlenty's podcast regarding his meeting with farmers affected by the drought.