The U.S. Small Business Administration is reminding small businesses and private nonprofit organizations in Illinois of the July 21 deadline to apply for low-interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by the derecho July 15-18, 2024.

Water is critical to our families and our farms. It breathes life into our crops and produces forage for animals on our rangelands. It is a priority for farmers and ranchers to ensure the water we rely on is clean because safe, clean water is critical to all life.

Family farms remain the primary source of food production in the United States, according to a report by U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service.