Governor Abbott Requests USDA Disaster Designation For Rio Grande Valley
Governor Greg Abbott has sent a letter to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) requesting a disaster designation for eight counties in the Rio Grande Valley directly impacted by Hurricane Hanna. A USDA disaster designation would make federal assistance, such as emergency loans, available to agricultural producers who have suffered losses in designated counties, as well as in counties that are contiguous to a designated county. The Governor's request includes the counties of Brooks, Cameron, Hidalgo, Jim Hogg, Kenedy, Starr, Willacy, and Zapata.
"Texas agricultural producers continue to be greatly affected by the severe weather and flooding caused by Hurricane Hanna, which made landfall on July 25, 2020, and caused severe flooding, which presently continues," reads the letter. "Hurricane Hanna produced damaging weather conditions which substantially affected producers and caused severe production losses. These producers are in need of this assistance to return to normal operations."