U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar visited flood-prone areas of Austin Saturday afternoon, as well as the Steve Kraushaar farm in Freeborn County, where the farmer claims he has lost between 8 and 10 percent of his crop.

As we assess the aftermath of this year’s flood, some are thankful for the residences and business who were spared, largely because of mitigation efforts; others have expressed frustration as they again bail out their basements.

But the real victims of the flood were local farmers: according to estimates, about 10 percent of the corn crop nationwide will be lost due to flooding.

During Klobuchar’s tour Saturday, she said she was thankful the farm bill had passed with permanent disaster funding for farmers.

According to the Iowa Farm Bureau: “The Supplemental Revenue Assistance Program (SURE) covers crop losses due to natural disasters. To receive benefits from SURE, farmers must: 1) carry crop insurance on their entire farm; and 2) be located in a Secretarially declared disaster county or a contiguous county, or show proof of an individual loss of at least 50 percent.”

Klobuchar said she is working on advance payments for farmers now, and the governor has asked for a federal disaster declaration for Fillmore, Freeborn, Houston and Mower counties.

For those whose crops are or potentially will be lost, this disaster relief passed just in time.