In aftermath of storms, 27 additional counties in Missouri are declared federal disaster areas

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Gov. Matt Blunt announced that President Bush has approved 27 Missouri Counties to be added to the federal disaster declaration for Individual Assistance.

"Missouri families are still recovering from the loss of life, property and treasured processions caused by the outbreak of severe weather." Blunt said. "I am pleased that President Bush has expanded the availability of federal assistance to more Missourians as they continue to put their lives back together."

The counties that are approved are: Bates, Benton, Boone, Carroll, Cass, Cedar, Cooper, Greene, Henry, Howard, Iron, Jefferson, Lawrence, Lincoln, Montgomery, Mississippi, Morgan, New Madrid, Newton, Phelps, Putnam, Scott, St. Clair, Taney, Vernon, Webster and Wright.

Citizens and businesses in the declared counties are urged to call FEMA at (800) 621-3362, which is staffed between 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week.

The Individual Assistance declaration helps renters, homeowners and businesses apply for federal assistance to recover from the recent severe storms that swept across Missouri. Assistance comes in the form of low-interest loans, or provides disaster grants to families and individuals with uninsured or underinsured losses for personal property.

Assistance also has been approved by USDA to restore farmland, damaged by the March 12th tornado, to its normal agricultural use.

Cost shares of 75 percent are available from the Farm Service Agency for assistance in fence repair and tornado debris removal from cropland, including pasture and hay fields. Interested producers should contact the Vernon County FSA Office at 102 W Allison, Nevada or call (417) 667-8137 for more information.

The signup period is March 21 to May 19, 2006.

Affected producers should file an application soon so an assessment of damage can be made. Many have been cleaning up since the March 12 tornado struck in Vernon County.

Pictures of damaged fences or debris in fields also may help in determining assistance, according to JaWan Thompson, Vernon County FSA.