My Fellow Kansans,

No matter where you go in Kansas right now, the ongoing drought is front and center. The 2012 drought has many of us thinking back to the droughts of 1988 and 1989, 1950’s, and even back to the 1930’s.

Right now, all 105 counties in Kansas are experiencing drought conditions and continue to suffer from the extreme heat that has blanketed Kansas and much of the Midwest for nearly two months.  This webpage is designed to be a one-stop resource for you to find timely and important information related to the drought. On this page you can find the most current drought status in your county, burn ban and public safety information, and information on state and federal programs to provide relief to producers and small businesses.

As it is not possible to predict this drought’s end date, I ask all Kansans to take steps to reduce their water usage, as well to be conscious of fire hazards. As we work to ensure that farmers and ranchers have access to water for their crops, forage and livestock, I also encourage them to work with our drought response team and with our local and federal partners to utilize drought relief assistance initiatives.

Together with our partners at the federal and local levels, my Administration is fully committed to helping those who are affected by this drought to cope with it today, but also to recover and plan for the future.  By working together to manage the effects of the drought, we can minimize the damage caused to our state.

Sam Brownback
Governor