After viewing crop damage at a central Minnesota farm, Gov. Tim Pawlenty said on Tuesday that he's moving ahead with plans for a possible disaster request for drought-stricken areas of the state.
Pawlenty said he'll ask for an agricultural disaster declaration for any county that meets the U.S. Department of Agriculture threshold of more than a 30 percent crop loss.
The USDA State Emergency board meets on Thursday to make a recommendation to the governor, after it reviews damage reports.
Pawlenty also said the Minnesota Department of Agriculture will offer two loan programs to provide low-cost emergency and restructuring loans to farmers affected by the drought.
Pawlenty toured a farm near Little Falls Tuesday morning to view the impact of the drought on crops and livestock.
Except for west-central and northwestern Minnesota, the state has drought conditions ranging from moderate to severe.
For a large part of Minnesota, it's the second straight year of severe drought.
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
