Published: Sep. 19, 2024 at 9:39 AM EDT |Updated: 15 hours ago MARIETTA, Ohio (WTAP) - As extreme drought continues to plague southeast Ohio, Senator Sherrod Brown is trying to raise awareness of resources available to struggling farmers. The United States Department of Agriculture has issued four natural disaster designations for Ohio, designating over two dozen counties as primary disaster counties. That opens up farmers in those counties to federal assistance from the USDA Farm Service Agency. FSA programs include compensation for livestock producers who have suffered grazing losses and emergency loans for farmers facing severe underproduction. Brown said raising awareness about these programs matters because the conditions farmers are facing are some of the worst they’ve endured since the Dust Bowl. “This kind of drought means their hay, instead of getting recuttings of hay, they’re essentially getting one and a half, according to farmers,” Brown said. “Their crops aren’t growing as far or they didn’t even sprout. They’re at higher risk of fires, all the things that can happen.” Brown encourages farmers to reach out to his office or to their local FSA office to learn more about their options. The Washington County FSA office can be reached at (740) 374 7291. See an error in our reporting? Send us an email by clicking here! Copyright 2024 WTAP. All rights reserved. Most Read