Posted at 5:51 p.m., Saturday, December 12, 2009

Big Isle, Maui declared ag disaster areas due to drought

Associated Press

An extreme drought partly caused by El Nino has prompted the federal government to declare The Big Island and Maui agricultural disaster areas.

The disaster declaration by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, paves the way for federal financial assistance to drought-wracked farming regions, according to a joint statement released Friday by U.S. Sens. Daniel Inouye and Daniel Akala.

The heart of Kona coffee farming country has received only 39 percent of its usual rainfall this year, said the statement. Kahua Ranch in the Kohala Mountains above Waimea has received only 38 percent of its normal 70 inches. Keahole Airport has received only 29 percent of its normal 9.3 inches.

Officials expect drier than normal conditions statewide through the spring.

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