Local News

Hays County Judge Liz Sumter’s office has issued a disaster declaration due to the severe drought that county officials say has had a major economic impact on the county’s agriculture.

The declaration is the first step in the process to request assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“Like much of the state, we’re in a severe drought situation that shows no sign of dissipating soon and our agricultural producers are facing a difficult economic situation because of it,” Sumter said. “This declaration paves the way for Governor (Rick Perry’s) Office to declare Hays County an agricultural disaster area and request aid for agricultural producers from the USDA in the form of low-interest loans.”

Bastrop County declared a similar drought emergency in February. Over the weekend, a major wildfire broke out in that county destroying 1,200 acres, including nearly two-dozen homes and several businesses.

Hays County, just south of Austin, has received less than half the average rainfall it normally gets during the 14 months from January 2008 and March 2009, the declaration said.

Jeff Turner, Hays County’s emergency management coordinator, said the county has seen a 100 percent loss in small grain like oats and wheat. Ranchers have also been forced to sell livestock because of a shortage of hay.

Like many Central Texas counties, Hays also has an outdoor burn ban prohibiting all outdoor fires not in lidded containers.