Recently, New Mexico Democratic Senator Jeff Bingaman announced that farmers and ranchers in a number of counties in the state may be eligible for disaster relief assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture because of drought conditions.
Producers in the state's Grant and Luna counties may qualify for the emergency funds, which are being made available as low-interest loans.
"I am pleased the USDA is lending a helping hand to farmers and ranchers in southern New Mexico who have been affected by extreme weather in the area," Bingaman said.
Furthermore, Catron, Dona Ana, Hidalgo and Sierra counties also qualify because of their proximity to the two areas.
In additional to New Mexico, states such as Texas have experienced drought-like conditions this year. This is in contrast to states like Illinois and New York, where extremely wet conditions delayed the planting and harvesting of crops. Wet conditions may lead to harvesting equipment damaging fields, which would make next year's growing season more difficult.
