MONTGOMERY – Governor Robert Bentley and Agriculture Commissioner John McMillan announced Friday that farmers in nearly half of Alabama’s counties will be eligible for low-interest federal loans as a result of a drought emergency declaration by U.S. Agriculture Secretary Thomas Vilsack.

“While much of the state has received rain this week, it is not enough to eliminate the severe and extreme drought conditions that many places are experiencing,” Governor Bentley said.  “Farmers across Alabama are suffering through what has been an extended drought from last year.  We appreciate Secretary Vilsack's response to this critical situation that affects so many Alabama families.”

In a July 12 letter to Governor Bentley, Secretary Vilsack designated the following 33 counties as “primary natural disaster areas” suffering from severe or extreme drought:

At a webiner Sunday afternoon, Dothan emergency officials discussed their concerns about Tropical Storm Debby... Read More

Our staff has been in contact with the Alabama Emergency Management Agency at the State Emergency Operations Center in Clanton regarding current and future needs for relief supplies.  To date, the City of Dothan / Houston County Disaster Relief collection point, at Westgate Fire Station has dispatched one tractor trailer full of relief supplies.  In addition, the second trailer of supplies is nearing capacity and will leave for a receiving center in Tuscaloosa on Friday.  At this point we will suspend our collection efforts until we receive further guidance from the State.  We feel certain that additional requests will be sent down from the Operations Center after a

9 A.M. briefing on Friday.