b'People, Product NewsOptions For Producers Sought As andworkingwiththeGovernors withsomeoneelseyoutrust,heWet Weather Continues Office to determine which counties said.Also,pleaseutilizeservicesshouldbeconsideredfora availableastheycanbeagoodThe extensive wet pattern in North Secretarialdisasterdeclaration, resource.Dakota, topped with an early snow- Goehringsaid.Iamalsohavingstorm,iscreatingagreatdealof conversations with our congression- Producerswhoarestrugglingwithanxietyforfarmersandranchers. al delegation about possible options depression,sadnessorfeelingsofThestateisexploringallpossible such as a disaster program. hopelessnessshouldreachouttomeans of assistance and encourag- oneofthefollowingoptionsforingthoseinemotionaldistressto ASecretarialdisasterdesignation services and support:reachoutforhelp,Agriculture must be requested of the SecretaryCommissioner Doug Goehring and of Agriculture by a governor or the Call 211, a statewide 24-hour crisisGov. Doug Burgum said today in a governorsauthorizedrepresenta- intervention,healthandhumanjoint statement. tive,byanIndianTribalCouncil servicesinformationandreferralleader, or by an FSA State Executive line.Werecognizethechallengesour Director.Damagesandlossesproducersareexperiencing, promptingdisasterdesignations Refer yourself or anyone you haveGoehringsaid.Thewetweather mustbeduetoanaturaldisaster; concernsabouttoalocalhealth-hascausedmuchdiseaseincereal and the county must have a 30 per- care provider or local mental healthcrops and has created an inability to cent production loss of at least one professional.Ifyourunintodiffi-harvest remaining cereal grains and croporadeterminationmustbe cultyorresistance,suggestandrow crops, as well as potatoes and madebysurveyingproducersthat accompany the person to a profes-sugarbeets. otherlendinginstitutionswillnot sionalyouknowsuchasaclergybeabletoprovideemergency member,medically-trainedperson-This difficult harvest season is put- financing. nel, nurses or other health-care pro-tingfarmersandranchersunder fessionals,lawenforcementagen-tremendousstress,bothemotional Goehringsaidhehasalsobeen ciesorpersonnel,andlocalcoun-andfinancial,Burgumsaid.Just engaged with the U.S. Department selors, social workers or other men-aswedidduringthedroughtof ofAgriculturesRiskManagement tal health professionals.2017, were exploring every avenue Agency(RMA)andhasexpressedtoassistproducersthroughthese concerns about quality discounts on CalltheNationalSuicideunseasonablyandextremelywet grain that doesnt reflect market dis- PreventionHotlineat800-273-conditions. counts. Storage on farms is limited TALK.toholdpoor-qualitygrainforanThewetweatherhasalsocreated extended period of time in order to Althoughitsgoodtocommuni-someinfrastructureproblemsas takeadvantageoffewerdiscounts cate with insurance, be sure youvecounty and township roads are sat- months later, he said. had the ability to do a proper assess-uratedorflooded,compromising ment of your situation, taking har-the integrity of the roads and pre- Goehringalsoremindedproducers vestingdeadlinesintoaccount,venting farmers from driving equip- thattheyshouldntfacedifficult Goehringsaid.Thisensuresment on them. times alone. I know its difficult to assumptionsarenotmadeabouttalk about your situation with fami- yoursituationthatcouldremoveWearecontinuingtoassessand ly and friends but please share strug- options or change the desired out-monitor conditions across the state glesandconcernswiththemor comeyoureseekingonaclaim.28 POTATO GROWER NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019'