UTICA – U.S. Representative Richard Hanna (NY-24) announced this week that several counties in the Central New York and Southern Tier areas, including Chenango County, have been designated “disasters” due to damage and losses caused by drought and excessive heat that have occurred since June.

At the request of New York state, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has determined the counties suffered sufficient production losses due to drought and related disasters that occurred from June 1, 2012 to warrant a Secretarial disaster designation.