The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has rolled out a new section of its Web site providing key information and resources to help Minnesota farmers deal with the drought conditions now deepening across southern and western Minnesota.  The web page can be found at www.mda.state.mn.us/drought, and a link is provided on MDA’s home page.

MDA’s new web page offers information about crop and weather conditions, as well as state and federal programs that may provide farmers with options to lessen the impact of the drought.  The site offers information about relevant MDA programs and services, as well as information and resources from partner agencies including the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the USDA Farm Service Agency and the University of Minnesota Extension Service.

According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), the condition of Minnesota’s crops and grazing land continues to decline due to the summer’s hot and dry conditions.  More details about current conditions can be found on the NASS website at http://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/Minnesota/.