USDA releases $1 billion in disaster relief for producers hit by drought and wildfires the past two years

WASHINGTON, D.C. (KVRR) — U.S. Department of Agriculture has released $1 billion in disaster relief for livestock producers impacted by wildfire or drought in 2023 or 2024.

The Emergency Livestock Relief Program funding comes as part of the $21 billion in weather-related assistance include in the year-end legislation passed by Congress in December.

It’s the first of two assistance programs addressing losses impacting livestock producers.

Assistance for other losses, including flooding, will be released later this summer.

“We worked to secure this emergency assistance for our ranchers who suffered not only drought but wildfires last year that even killed a couple people here in North Dakota as well as cattle. So this will help with those losses not only for our North Dakota ranchers but across the country,” said Sen. John Hoeven of North Dakota.

North Dakota producers have received nearly $565 million under the Emergency Commodity Assistance Program.