With Minnesota’s cropland suffering from increasingly dry conditions, Governor Tim Pawlenty today requested that the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) begin a formal damage assessment as the first step toward a possible disaster declaration.

Governor Pawlenty and state agriculture officials will work with Minnesota’s FSA offices to review the county-by-county damage assessments and prepare a formal disaster declaration request if needed.

“We are hearing reports of significant problems with crops and forage production, especially in central Minnesota,” Governor Pawlenty said. “We need to collect more information about how these dry conditions are affecting farmers across the state so we can work with federal officials to develop an appropriate response.”

According to the National Agriculture Statistics Service’s latest weekly crop and weather report, 72 percent of Minnesota cropland is rated short or very short for topsoil moisture. Conditions are particularly bad in portions of central and southwestern Minnesota – some of the state’s prime farmland.

Minnesota’s corn and soybean crops are in the midst of critical reproductive stages, and heat and moisture stress during this period can lead to significant yield loss. Crop conditions continue to decline as a result of the dryness. One month ago, 83 percent of the state’s corn crop was rated good or excellent, but this week’s report lists only 40 percent of the corn crop in those two categories.

Forage crops used for livestock grazing are also impacted. This week’s crop and weather report shows more than half of the state’s pastureland is rated poor or very poor.

This is the second summer in a row in which Minnesota farmers have faced drought conditions. Last year, the northwestern and central regions of the state went months without significant rainfall and other areas suffered as well. Ultimately, farmers received state and federal assistance including a state cost-share assistance program for emergency livestock watering, and a federal disaster declaration for 33 counties. In addition, Congress recently approved an assistance package that will allow crop and livestock farmers to obtain some financial assistance for losses in crop year 2005 or 2006. Further information can be obtained by contacting local FSA offices.