U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., saw the impacts of ongoing drought conditions firsthand while traveling throughout the state during Congress’ August recess.
Capito said Thursday during her first weekly briefing after the break that she has worked with Gov. Jim Justice to make resources available to the state’s farmers facing financial hardship.
“The drought is top of mind for a lot of our farmers,” Capito said. “Nobody can control the weather — we know that. We’re working with the governor’s office anytime we can help him or help our farmers.”
Capito said she is “very worried” about the lasting financial impacts of the drought on farmers.
“I’m hearing from our small farmers about the cost of materials, the cost of gasoline, the cost of just doing business and feeding. ... It’s very, very expensive, and the prices that they’re getting for their products are low.”
Meanwhile, drought conditions continue in all 55 counties of the state, according to the latest report from the U.S. Drought Monitor.
More than 60% of the state is now experiencing conditions classified as “extreme drought” to “exceptional drought.”
As of Thursday, “exceptional drought” conditions were present in Cabell, Calhoun, Clay, Jackson, Mason, Putnam, Roane and Wirt counties.
“West Virginia, already struggling with intense drought, had conditions further deteriorate except for some improvement in exceptional drought along the West Virginia-Ohio border,” said the latest conditions summary.
At the beginning of the month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency declared 20 counties in the state as Natural Disaster Areas.
The declaration includes Calhoun, Gilmer, Jackson, Kanawha, Mason, Putnam, Roane and Wirt counties as “primary counties” and Boone, Braxton, Cabell, Clay, Doddridge, Fayette, Lewis, Lincoln, Nicholas, Raleigh, Ritchie and Wood counties as “contiguous counties.”
Gallia and Meigs counties in Ohio are also listed as contiguous counties.
The declaration allows the USDA’s Farm Service Agency to extend emergency credit to farm operators in primary counties and contiguous counties through FSA emergency loan assistance.
On Aug. 23, Gov. Jim Justice extended a previously declared statewide State of Emergency for an additional 30 days due to the drought.
Justice reminded state agencies to utilize the Emergency Drought Relief Reimbursement Grant Program, which provides financial assistance to those helping to secure and distribute irrigation and livestock water supplies.
“Our farmers are truly the backbone of our state, and we understand the level of stress they’re experiencing because of these extreme conditions. We will not watch our hardworking farmers suffer because of uncontrollable factors. What we can control, however, is making sure they have the resources to get through this tough time,” Justice said.