La Crosse, Vernon counties part of USDA disaster area

The USDA has designated La Crosse and Vernon counties in Wisconsin as contiguous natural disaster areas due to drought in Minnesota.

The natural disaster designation allows the United States Department of Agriculture`s Farm Service Agency to extend emergency credit to producers recovering from natural disasters through emergency loans, according to a press release from the USDA.

Emergency loans can be used to meet various recovery needs including the replacement of essential items such as equipment or livestock, reorganization of a farming operation, or to refinance certain debts. FSA will review the loans based on the extent of losses, security available and repayment ability.

According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, these counties suffered from a drought intensity value during the growing season of either Drought-Severe, Drought-Extreme or Drought-Exceptional conditions for eight or more consecutive weeks....