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Missouri ag officials working to connect storm-hit farmers with aid

Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe says he’s been talking with the USDA about ways to help farmers and ranchers impacted by the recent severe weather outbreak at the end of April.

“We’ve had some very early conversations with USDA Under Secretary Richard Fordyce on that,” he says. “They have a few programs together. We’re really still in the assessment stage. Once we have that assessment, then we can go to step two.”

Missouri’s Farm Service Agency State Executive Director Ronnie Russell tells Brownfield “we’ve got some emergency programs available.”

The Emergency Conservation Program is one option available at USDA’s FSA to farmers that helps them restore and repair farmland.

Ag Director Chris Chinn says the ag department can help farmers make connections to get help.

“Whether it be through the State Emergency Management Agency called SEMA or through the FSA or USDA’s Rural Development loans and grants, our team wants to make sure we can help make those connections to help those farm families get back up on their feet again,” she says.

An EF2 tornado impacted Saline, Howard and Randolph Counties causing widespread damage to some farms and ag structures. There was also an EF1 tornado in Jasper County, and a historic hailstorm in Greene County.