Wisconsin declares state of emergency to help farmers

Throughout the past few months, the United States has experienced weather that has hurt many farmers. In many of these instances, farmers are left to find alternative finance options to keep operations up and running. To help Wisconsin farmers through a period of extreme drought, Governor Scott Walker recently declared a state of emergency in 42 counties. The declaration helps farmers in several ways, including allowing the state's Department of Natural Resources to divert water to affected regions. Additionally, this type of emergency makes affected farmers eligible for low-cost emergency loans, which provide alternative credit to these individuals that will help them manage loss in the wake of the drought. "The lack of rainfall since May in the southern half of the state has hit hard in a crucial part of the growing season," Governor Walker explained in a public release. Farmers in these counties should contact the U.S. Farm Service Agency closest to them to begin the application process. If enough information is compiled by the office, the next step is getting the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture to release a disaster declaration.