The drought is currently spreading quite widely throughout Minnesota. And State Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen says they’re monitoring that closely and are seeing at least a dozen counties under severe drought conditions.

He says his department is meeting this week with stakeholders and keeping in contact with the state’s Congressional delegation and Farm Service Agency officials.

Petersen says they’re also looking at possibly asking for emergency and haying grazing for portions of Minnesota.

Petersen says its critical farmers document all of their acreage as they report to FSA and make sure they have that data available for any government aid programs and for crop insurance should they need it as the drought worsens.