Nebraska Drought Hits 86 Counties | Lincoln News

Nebraska’s drought crisis just hit a new peak as Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins approved a disaster declaration for 13 more counties, bringing the total under USDA drought status to 86 out of 93—six of them experiencing it for the first time in 2024. Farmers now have up to eight months to access critical loan assistance, as Gov. Jim Pillen thanks Rollins for prioritizing those hit hardest by the dry spell. Meanwhile, wildfires in 21 other counties also received federal approval, with President Trump declaring emergencies for five of them. Across the state, most areas face at least moderate drought—with large swaths in extreme or exceptional conditions—making this one of the toughest agricultural seasons in recent memory. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/e5baa8e99f3d0e55