CUMBERLAND – The Cumberland County Board of Supervisors recently adopted a resolution and sent it to the Office of the Governor requesting that Virginia's Governor designate Cumberland as an agricultural disaster area due to the lack of rainfall this summer.

The resolution was adopted during the Board's September 12 meeting.

The request came from David W. Smith, Cumberland's extension agent, on behalf of the Buckingham and Cumberland Counties' Food and Agricultural Committee.

Although Hurricane Irene and a tropical depression recently passed through the area, they were too late for the corn and bean crops in Cumberland.

According to the request, the high temperatures, and drought-like conditions over the months of June, July, and August have impacted agriculture in Cumberland.

On August 29, according to Smith's request, “the Buckingham and Cumberland Agricultural Emergency Board met and prepared an USDA Flash Situation Report. During this meeting the committee agreed that the lack of rainfall, and increased temperatures caused a decrease in production, quality, and yields on corn, and most double cropped soybeans.”