North Dakota has requested a Secretarial disaster designation for 47 out of 53 counties in the state. Governor Doug Burgum, Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring, the state Farm Service Agency and others sent the request to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue on Friday. The nine-page letter asks for federal assistance to be made available, estimating farmers have lost nearly $423 million for just the one crop in each county at least 30 percent loss. In addition, billions of dollars in additional crop and livestock value still at risk.” Testimony gathered from the recent townhall meetings across North Dakota was included in the request.
