U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Bringing Assistance to Livestock Producers in Wake of Drought

Senator Heitkamp got the reassurances during a senate hearing

NORTH DAKOTA — The U.S. Department of Agriculture is providing additional assistance for livestock producers dealing with the ongoing drought.

The USDA has expanded emergency grazing on land enrolled in the CRP, including those counties where drought conditions are moderate.

The agency says the authorization includes any county in which any part of its border lies within 150 miles of a county with severe drought.

Senator Heitkamp got the reassurances during a senate hearing.

“We’ve also decided to use our discretion as we’ve done in the past and allow CRP contract holders within 150 miles of a D-2 or D-3 county whose mid-contract management by haying their acreage to donate their hay to livestock producers in need of forage,” said Misty Jones with the USDA.

Ranchers should work with their local Farm Service Agency county office to access the emergency grazing acres.