Bedford, Campbell counties seek drought relief

By: Justin Faulconer | The News & Advance
Published: August 19, 2008

Dry conditions have caused officials in Bedford and Campbell counties to take steps to declare their localities disaster areas.

The Bedford County Board of Supervisors last week approved a resolution asking Gov. Timothy M. Kaine to make the declaration for relief assistance. Campbell County supervisors approved a similar resolution Monday.

Scott Baker, Bedford County’s extension agent, said in a letter to supervisors that low rainfall so far this year has done little to lessen weather-related impacts on the area’s agriculture.

“Pastures have deteriorated throughout the recent weeks and many producers have begun feeding hay,” Baker said.

“This may result in producers not having sufficient supplies to carry their livestock through the winter. There have also been reports of livestock water sources drying up.”

Bedford County Administrator Kathleen Guzi said Tuesday the county has sought disaster relief assistance for several years now. This year the impact has hit especially hard because rainfall in 2007 ended seven inches below normal, she said.

Campbell County officials planned to introduce the measure at a Sept. 2 meeting, but Brookneal District Supervisor J.D. Puckett asked the board to approve the measure Monday.

The weather reporting station at Lynchburg Regional Airport has received only a trace of rain for August and now is 11 inches below normal. All of Campbell County and more than half of Bedford are classified as being in a moderate drought, according to the Department of Environmental Quality.

“The situation has gotten pretty bad,” said Nathan Prill, the executive director of the Bedford County Farm Service Agency. “The northern half (of Bedford County) is considered abnormally dry.”

Baker said apple and peach crops sustained damage from hailstorms in July. Corn and soybeans also suffered from lack of rain, he said, though Prill said hay supplies were helped by a decent spring yield.

Still, the agency has received reports of local farmers already dipping into winter feed reserves.