U.S. Senators John Boozman and Tom Cotton, along with Congressmen Rick Crawford (AR-1), French Hill (AR-2), Steve Womack (AR-3), and Bruce Westerman (AR-4), today urged U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to support Governor Asa Hutchinson’s request for a major disaster declaration for Arkansas.

Following a storm that caused substantial flooding in several Arkansas counties, inflicting particular damage upon farms that have already experienced flooding earlier this year, Governor Hutchinson requested disaster assistance for Carroll, Clay, Craighead, Independence, Jackson, Lawrence, Lincoln, Madison, Prairie, Randolph, White, and Woodruff counties.

“This flooding has been devastating to many communities.  The region’s agriculture industry has been acutely impacted and faces significant hardship as a result of these crop losses.  When total damages to Arkansas crops is estimated to be between $45 and $50 million, it is important for the Department of Agriculture to recognize this emergency.”

In light of the situation that these counties face, Arkansas’s congressional delegation supports Governor Hutchinson’s request and urges swift approval by Secretary Vilsack.

Read the delegation’s letter of support in its entirety here.

Congressman Steve Womack has represented Arkansas’s Third Congressional District since 2011 and serves on the House Appropriations Defense, Financial Services and General Government, and Labor-Health and Human Services subcommittees and the House Committee on the Budget.

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