RELEASED BY THE OFFICE OF SEN. INOUYE:

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Daniel K. Inouye and Daniel K. Akaka announced today that the counties of Honolulu, Hawaii, Maui, and Kauai have been designated as federal disaster areas as a result of an ongoing drought that began at the start of this year.

All four counties have been cited as primary natural disaster areas by Agriculture Secretary Edward Schafer, they said.

Secretary Schafer has also declared Kalawao County, on the Kalaupapa Peninsula of Molokai, as "a contiguous disaster county," Senators Inouye and Akaka added.

"Our local farmers are hurting," Senator Inouye said.  "To cite just one example, the drought has lessened sugar operations on Maui.  The emergency, low-interest loans that will now be available can be a lifeline for Hawaii farmers."

Senator Akaka added: "Severe drought has hurt many of Hawaii's agricultural producers.  Windward Oahu farmers are dealing with a 30 percent mandatory restriction on irrigation water use from the Waimanalo reservoir, Big Island farmers are suffering from drought conditions spreading throughout the island, Northeast Kauai is facing reduced reservoir levels which continue to hamper farmers, and parts of Maui are now experiencing severe drought conditions that are ruining harvests.  The Farm Service Agency's low interest loans will provide much needed relief to our farmers struggling to make it through this continuing drought."

The disaster designations by Secretary Schafer open the process for local farmers who meet eligibility requirements to seek low-interest loans from the U.S. Farm Service Agency to offset drought-related crop losses.  Eligible producers may borrow up to 100 percent of actual production or physical losses, not to exceed a total of $500,000. 

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