2012-08-03 Drought Resolution - Letter to GovernorPITTSYLVANIA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
RESOLUTION
2012-08-03
VIRGINIA: At the regular meeting of the Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors held in the General
District Courtroom of the Edwin R. Shields Courthouse Addition in Chatham, Virginia on Monday,
August 6, 2012, the following resolution was presented and adopted:
WHEREAS, Pittsylvania County has experienced an intense early to mid season drought that
encompassed the entire geographical area of the County and has significantly affected many annual
crops and most perennial crops including hay and pasture; and
WHEREAS, livestock watering has been affected with creeks drying, wells drying up and report
of one well collapsing, producers are reducing herd numbers and feeding hay, and weight gain decreases
due to the severe nature of this drought and there is an increased incidence of pink eye; and
WHEREAS, the loss of revenue due to these environmental factors has caused a significant
financial burden on the agricultural community in Pittsylvania County; and
WHEREAS, conservative figures estimates the following crop losses due to the environmental
conditions experienced thus far this year: corn (non-irrigated)-60%, soybeans-45%, pasture-40%, hay
land-40%; irrigated Burley Tobacco-15%; irrigated Flue Tobacco-20%; non-irrigated Flue Tobacco-
30%; Dark Fire Tobacco-15%; and Wheat-15% ;then
BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED, that the Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors declare a
disaster area in Pittsylvania County due to the extreme drought and petition the Honorable Robert F.
McDonnell, Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, to declare Pittsylvania County a disaster area
due to the extreme drought conditions in order to provide the means for those affected to qualify for any
available relief assistance; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a copy of this Resolution be forward to the Honorable
Robert F. McDonnell, Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, respectfully requesting that he
forward this resolution to the U.S. Department of Agriculture on the behalf of Pittsylvania County.
Given under my hand this 6th day of August, 2012.
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Tim R. Barber, Chairman
Pittsylvani ounty Board of Supervisors
illiam D. Sleeper, Jerk
Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors
PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY
VIRGINIA
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William D. Sleeper Q 9n Phone (434) 432-7710
County Administrator o Fax (434) 432-7714
P.O. Box 426 a ~ ~ ~
Chatham, Virginia 24531 ~ w o ~ y Gretna/Hurt (434) 656-6211
dan.sleeper@pittgov.org J' % b Bachelors Hall/Whitmell (434) 797-9550
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August 7, 2012
Honorable Robert F. McDonnell
Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia
Post Office Box 1475
Richmond, VA 23218
Re: Drought Resolution for Agricultural Activities -Pittsylvania County
Dear Governor McDonnell:
On behalf of the Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors, the citizens of Pittsylvania County,
and the farm community of Pittsylvania County, you will find attached hereto, a request from the
Board of Supervisors to declare Pittsylvania County a disaster area due to the extreme drought, causing
a significant deterioration of growing conditions for food and agriculture in Pittsylvania County.
The Board of Supervisors is requesting you declare Pittsylvania County a disaster area due to
the extreme drought and forward this request to the U.S. Department of Agriculture on the behalf of
Pittsylvania County.
Your attention in this matter is greatly appreciated. If you require any additional information,
please do not hesitate to contact my office.
autc;crc ~
William D. Sleepe /~~
County Administrator
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Attachment
Cc: Honorable Members of the Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors
The Honorable Todd Haymore, Secretary of Agriculture
The Honorable William M. Stanley, Jr., Senator
The Honorable Don Merricks, Delegate
The Honorable Danny Marshall, Delegate
Fred Wydner, Director of Agriculture, Pittsylvania County
Jamie Stowe, Virginia Cooperative Extension
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Office o f the governor
Todd P. Haymore
Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry
August 10, 2012
Mr. William D. Sleeper
County Administrator
Pittsylvania County
P.O. Box 426
Chatham, Virginia 24531
Dear Mr. Sleeper:
Thank you for sending Governor McDonnell the resolution adopted by the Pittsylvania
County Board of Supervisors requesting disaster designation due to the extreme drought that is
causing a significant deterioration of growing conditions in the county.
By copy of this letter, I am sending your request to Calvin Parrish, State Executive
Director (SED), USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Virginia. Mr. Parrish and his staff will
coordinate the preparation of an official loss assessment report (LAR) for your locality to
determine if it meets the minimum required loss threshold of 34% for a single crop. If your
county's agricultural losses meet this threshold, the SED will forward the LAR for your county
to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack requesting that Pittsylvania County be designated a
primary disaster area.
We will make sure that you are notified as soon as Governor McDonnell receives notice
of Secretary Vilsack's decision regarding disaster designation for your county.
Thank you again for bringing your county's agricultural emergency to our attention.
Sincerely,
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O
Todd P. Haymore
Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry
cc: The Honorable Marla Graff Decker, Secretary of Public Safety
Julia Hammond, Office of the Governor
Matt Lohr, Commissioner, Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
Michael M. Cline, State Coordinator, Department of Emergency Management
Calvin Parrish, State Executive Director, Farm Service Agency-Virginia
Patrick Henry Building • 1111 East Broad Street • Richmond, Virginia 23219 • (804) 692-2511 • TTY (800) 828-1120