DES MOINES - U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack declared 22 Iowa counties, including Jackson County, as disaster areas Monday due to storm damage earlier this year.

Earlier this month, Gov. Chet Culver asked Vilsack is issue a secretarial disaster designation after damage to plants and significant production losses due to severe storms between May 15 and July 31.

The declarations were made after assessments on crop and agriculture losses were done throughout Iowa. Declarations are still pending for several Iowa counties not covered by Monday's announcement, but may be added at a later date.

Counties covered by the secretarial declaration include: Allamakee, Benton, Bremer, Butler, Chickasaw, Clarke, Clay, Clayton, Decatur, Delaware, Fayette, Howard, Iowa, Jackson, Jefferson, Keokuk, Lucas, Mahaska, Van Buren, Wapello, Wayne and Winneshiek.

In addition, the secretarial designation applies to 35 contiguous counties: Appanoose, Black Hawk, Buchanan, Buena Vista, Cerro Gordo, Cherokee, Clinton, Davis, Dickinson, Dubuque, Emmet, Floyd, Franklin, Grundy, Hardin, Henry, Jasper, Johnson, Jones, Lee, Linn, Madison, Marion, Mitchell, Monroe, O'Brien, Osceola, Palo Alto, Pocahontas, Poweshiek, Ringgold, Tama, Union, Warren and Washington.

The secretarial designation will expand eligibility for individuals in the affected and contiguous counties for additional U.S. Department of Agriculture assistance, including resources available through the SURE permanent disaster program, created in the 2008 Farm Bill. Iowans are encouraged to contact their local Farm Service Administration office for more information.

"Thanks to this action, Iowa's farmers and the entire agriculture community now have access to much-needed disaster assistance following this summer's severe weather," Culver said. "As governor, I will continue to work with our federal partners to ensure that Iowa farmers have the tools and resources they need to return their lives to normal."