Gibbons seeks disaster declaration for drought

CARSON CITY -- Gov. Jim Gibbons has asked the U.S. Department of Agriculture to declare all 17 Nevada counties a disaster area because of extreme drought and fire damage and the resulting effects on the state's agribusiness sector.

Ranchers have been particularly affected by this year's wildfires, which resulted in the loss of nearly a million acres of grazing land, he said in the Tuesday letter to Agriculture Secretary Chuck Conner.

"The exceptionally dry conditions have been disastrous for our ranchers and farmers," Gibbons said.

"This year's drought resulted in the loss of productive land that is critical to the economies of rural communities around the state."

The disaster declaration for drought would provide ranchers and farmers in all 17 counties with access to low-interest loans and other federal assistance.

Boyd Spratling, president of the Nevada Cattlemen's Association, was one rancher who lost land to wildfire damage this year.

"Throughout the summer and through the grazing season there has been an extreme lack of moisture across the state compounded by the lack of a substantial snowpack from the previous winter," a prepared statement by Spratling stated. "With dry rangelands and even dryer winter feed, there is increased stress on livestock.

"I support the governor's efforts in requesting this declaration that will allow ranchers to receive funds to compensate for loss of production, and/or transportation of animals to other areas of the country where the feed supplies are more abundant," Spratling said in the statement.

Gibbons' requested declaration would run from Jan. 1 and continue indefinitely.