Statehouse News Bureau

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Ohio Farmers Seek Relief From Feds After Unbearably Wet Spring

By Jo Ingles

Published July 1, 2019 at 8:14 PM EDT

Ohio’s agriculture director is asking the federal government to help the state’s farmers, many of whom have been unable to plant crops because of rainy weather.

Ohio Department of Agriculture Director Dorothy Pelanda says she’s traveled the state and seen first-hand how record rainfall has devastated farmers.

“I would be hard pressed to tell you what part of the state is worse than another. There’s standing water and waist-high weeds in much of Ohio.”

Pelanda is asking Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue to help Ohio farmers plant cover crops for erosion control and to waive rules that limit the aid available to new farmers who lack a track record to qualify for emergency programs. She says farmers tell her weather conditions this year are the worst they’ve experienced.