With the current drought the worst the U.S. has seen in roughly 50 years, U.S. farm officials are touring the country and reassuring rural Americans that the federal government can provide aid to drought stricken farmers.

The current drought is one of the worst in recent history. The USDA has declared more than 1,300 counties (about one-third of the country) disaster areas. 31 states are experiencing severe to extreme droughts necessitating a rapid response from the USDA and the federal government.

During a visit to Texas, the current administrator of the Farm Service Agency, Juan Garcia, reassured farmers that the USDA and the FSA were doing everything they could to guarantee aid to struggling farmers. “It’s been a very interesting few weeks,” he said. “We’re pulling all the tools out of our tool box to see what we can do.”

However, with one-third of the country declared a disaster area and two-thirds of the country experiencing some kind of drought, USDA and FSA resources are likely to be stretched to the breaking point. Added to these difficulties is Congress’ general refusal to take action on the farm bill or emergency drought legislation.

Swift action is desperately needed, however. In the words of Administrator Garcia, “It is in really bad shape. This is the worst drought in a long time.”

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Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer