Latest News from the Governor's Office

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 10, 2026

CONTACT:

Laura Strimple, (402) 580-9495

Katrina Cerveny, NEMA, Katrina.cerveny@nebraska.gov

Kevin Hynes, Nebraska National Guard, kevin.j.hynes.civ@army.mil

Gov. Pillen Issues Emergency Declarations for Destructive Weather Events

LINCOLN, NE – Governor Jim Pillen has issued several emergency declarations to provide state resources in areas that have experienced destructive weather events. The most current situation involves a wildfire in Sioux County between Crawford and Harrison. The South Fork Fire has burned nearly 9,000 acres since it was detected yesterday afternoon. 

As of today, Nebraska National Guard resources deployed to fight the fire include a CH-47 Chinook helicopter with five soldiers and an aviation officer, and an aviation fueling truck with an additional two soldiers. By tomorrow, an aviation maintenance truck with two soldiers will join a liaison officer and five airmen and three soldiers who are part of the fire hand crew.  

In addition to that emergency declaration, Gov. Pillen has issued two others for wildfires that broke out in May, both impacting Dawes County. The Ash Pole Fire, located southeast of Chadron, consumed more than 1,000 acres in mid-May. The Clay Creek fire, also southeast of Crawford, ignited a week or so later. The fires burned areas that were heavily timbered. 

Last month, multiple counties also experienced widespread damage resulting from severe weather May 15-18. Gov. Pillen has issued an emergency proclamation covering Buffalo, Fillmore, Gage, Jefferson, Nemaha, Richardson, Thayer, Thurston and Howard counties.

The issuing of these proclamations not only allows for the activation of resources, but also the use of the Governor’s Emergency Fund to help cover costs associated with managing the impacts of these weather events.

CONTACT:  

Laura Strimple, (402) 580-9495

Justin Pinkerman, DED, justin.pinkerman@nebraska.gov

Christin Kamm, Dept. of Ag, Christin.Kamm@nebraska.gov

Gov. Pillen Invites Nebraskans to Register for the 2026 Governor’s Summit, Second Annual Youth Summit

Register for the 2026 Governor’s Summit at govsummit.nebraska.gov.

LINCOLN, NE – Governor Jim Pillen, the Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED), and the Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) encourage Nebraskans to register for the 2026 Governor’s Summit. This year’s event will take place Sept. 28-29, 2026, at the Younes Conference Center North in Kearney.

Registration for the Summit is now open at govsummit.nebraska.gov.

“There’s no better place to live or do business than our extraordinary home here in Nebraska,” said Gov. Pillen. “The opportunities we have in front of us as a state are absolutely incredible. September’s Summit will bring together our state’s farmers, ranchers, and business leaders to build a better future for Nebraskans.”

The annual Governor’s Summit convenes leaders across the state to strategize how to best grow Nebraska. The 2026 Governor’s Summit will focus on three pillars: (1) building Nebraska’s workforce of the future, (2) investing in the next generation of healthcare, and (3) feeding and fueling Nebraska’s ag and manufacturing future.  

This year’s conference will also feature the second annual Governor’s Youth Summit, which will be integrated into the main event on Tuesday, Sept. 29. High school juniors and seniors and college freshmen and sophomores are invited to attend free of charge. Attendees of the Youth Summit will participate in career clusters to explore post-high school pathways. They will connect one-on-one with business and college leaders, gaining privileged access to internship, apprenticeship, and career opportunities

“Our kids are our future,” said Gov. Pillen. “As state leaders, we have a responsibility to open doors for them to pursue their dreams right here in Nebraska. That’s what the Youth Summit is all about. I invite students to come and check out the amazing career opportunities available!”

To sign up for the Youth Summit, go to https://govsummit.nebraska.gov/youth/.

The 2026 Governor’s Summit kicks off on Monday night, Sept. 28, with a banquet and a reception hosted by the Nebraska Diplomats. The evening event includes an awards ceremony to honor leaders, businesses, and communities who have made key contributions to the state’s economic success over the previous year.

Tuesday, Sept. 29, is the main day of the Governor’s Summit. It features remarks from Gov. Pillen, a keynote address, a full slate of breakout sessions, and the second-ever Youth Summit.

To register for the banquet and Governor’s Summit, visit govsummit.nebraska.gov. Students may sign up for the Youth Summit at https://govsummit.nebraska.gov/youth/.

For questions, please contact Roberta Pinkerton at Roberta.Pinkerton@nebraska.gov or 402-658-5077.

CONTACT:

Laura Strimple, (402) 580-9495

Gov. Pillen Asks for Extension to Submit Information for Severe Storms in May

LINCOLN, NE – Governor Jim Pillen is asking the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for a 30-day extension to submit a major disaster declaration due to severe storms that impacted the state May 15-18. If allowed, the state would have until July 17 to finalize its preliminary damage assessments.

Storms that hit central and eastern Nebraska produced powerful straight-line winds, tornadoes and flash flooding, resulting in damage to public power infrastructure, roads and public buildings. Impacted cities and counties are still compiling documentation related to the removal of debris and other protective measures. Rural public power districts are doing the same and need additional time to verify all damage estimates.

CONTACT:

Laura Strimple, (402) 580-9495

Gov. Pillen Requests USDA Disaster Designation to Help Producers Affected by Wildfires

LINCOLN, NE – Governor Jim Pillen has requested a disaster designation from U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins to support areas impacted by wildfires in March and April. The designation, if approved, would open options to directly assist producers in affected counties.

“Agriculture is the backbone of our state, and we must continue fighting for our neighbors in need by securing every resource available,” said Gov. Jim Pillen. “I deeply appreciate Secretary Rollins for visiting Nebraska during these devastating wildfires. Her partnership and commitment to our rural communities have been tremendous.”

The request for a Secretarial Disaster Designation is the most recent action taken by Gov. Pillen to assist in recovery from the Morrill, Cottonwood, Ashby and Minor fires. Collectively, more than 850,000 acres were destroyed, a large portion of that land used for cow-calf operations and yearling cattle grazing. Due to the destruction of stored hay supplies, ranchers in western Nebraska have been forced to graze their cattle on low-nutrient winter pastures, creating a severe feed shortage that threatens the health and survival of their herds.

The disaster request covers Garden, Grant, Lincoln and Morrill counties. Garden County, which has an estimated grassland loss of 63.64 percent, well exceeds the threshold for a disaster designation. The other counties did not meet the 30 percent threshold, but if granted, a designation would make producers in those counties eligible for FSA emergency loans.

Last month, Gov. Pillen asked President Trump for a disaster declaration to help cover the cost of damage to public infrastructure in Arthur, Garden, Grant, Lincoln and Morrill counties. If approved, it will assist with funding repairs to roads, bridges and power infrastructure.

Additionally, Gov. Pillen was in Oshkosh today to hear from invited county leaders about their experiences during and after the wildfires. He was joined at the event by Department of Agriculture Director Sherry Vinton, Major General Craig Strong, adjutant general for the Nebraska National Guard, Nebraska Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Assistant Director Erv Portis and Senator Paul Strommen.

“There is much work still to be done, but I’m extraordinarily grateful for all the support that we have received and to see Nebraska coming together,” said Gov. Pillen. “We truly live in the greatest state, with the greatest people, never afraid to lend a hand and help a neighbor. We will continue our recovery together.”

CONTACT:

Laura Strimple, (402) 580-9495

Gov. Pillen, Farmers, Ranchers and Ag Industry Supporters Celebrate Passage of LB 525

GOTHENBURG, NE – Today, Governor Jim Pillen, Senator Mike Jacobson, and Sherry Vinton, director of the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, joined members of Nebraska’s agricultural industry at the Machine Shed near Gothenburg to celebrate passage of a first of its kind bill for protecting agricultural data. LB 525 was introduced initially in the 2025 legislative session by Sen. Jacobson on behalf of Gov. Pillen and was passed this year. It establishes clear rules for the collection, processing and use of agricultural data in a way that best protects the privacy of farmers and ranchers who own the data.  

“Nebraska has always been a leader when it comes to agricultural innovation. LB 525 represents critical, forward-thinking policy when it comes to preserving the future of our family farms,” said Gov. Pillen. “Who better to lead the country in this space than us? Again, Nebraska is setting the standard – one that will add value and protect our state’s key economic engine -- agriculture.”

Over the past 30 years, agricultural production has been significantly transformed through advances in technology, just like many other industries. Farmers rely on GPS-guided steering in tractors, sprayers and combines, computerized seeding rate systems, variable-rate chemigation and irrigation technology, and real-time yield data captured during harvest. Every season, an incredible amount of information is collected that farmers and producers can capitalize on if properly it’s protected.  

“Agriculture is Nebraska's largest industry, and modern operations generate significant amounts of proprietary digital data that our producers rely on. I was proud to partner with Governor Pillen to pass LB 525 to establish clear legal protections for this valuable operational data, explicitly prohibiting its unauthorized sale and requiring reasonable security standards,” said Sen. Jacobsen. “As the first state in the nation to enact these specific digital privacy safeguards, Nebraska is not waiting for federal regulations to address this issue. Instead, we have enacted a practical, state-level framework that protects the private business records of our farmers and ranchers while ensuring technology providers respect the privacy rights of our producers.”

LB 525 addresses this digital evolution by clearly defining ‘agricultural data’ – a definition that previously did not exist in state statue. The legislation ensures that the unique expertise and production practices farmers develop through years of decision-making are legally protected under clear data ownership laws.

“This legislation brings important clarity for Nebraska farmers and ensures they maintain control of their data as agriculture continues to evolve,” said Michael Dibbern, president of the Nebraska Corn Growers Association. “It is an important step in supporting producers as they adopt new technology and make decisions for their operations.”

The heart of the legislation explicitly states that ag producers own the data originating from their farms and ranches. This puts them in the driver’s seat, permitting them to decide how to use their data, whom to share it with, and how to derive further value from it. Additionally, the law mandates clear, conspicuous disclosure, requiring written consent from the producer before a third party can sell the data.  

Under LB 525, all contracts and agreements involving agricultural data must be updated by January 1, 2027, to reflect these new statutory changes.

“Nebraska feeds the world and saves the planet,” added Gov. Pillen. “It’s a privilege to join the farmers and ranchers who do this work every day. By securing these data rights, we are securing the future of Nebraska agriculture.”