Drought Relief Announced For Ranchers
As a part of his efforts to support livestock producers across the country, U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., has announced that $750 million in disaster relief for ranchers impacted by drought or wildfire in 2021 will soon begin receiving relief payments.
In this phase one of funding, livestock producers who have approved applications through the 2021 Livestock Forage Disaster Program for forage losses will receive relief compensation for increases in supplemental feed costs in 2021 through the Farm Service Agency’s new Emergency Livestock Relief Program.
Tester was the only member of Montana’s delegation to vote for the Extending Government Funding and Delivering Emergency Assistance Act, which included this funding as a part of $10 billion in assistance to agricultural producers impacted by wildfires, droughts, hurricanes, winter storms and other eligible disasters during 2020-2021.
“Ranchers were hit hard by drought and fires this year, cutting into their bottom lines and putting them at risk of losing their land and livelihoods,” Tester said. “I’m proud to have voted for this critical relief that is a lifeline to the producers who are the backbone of our rural communities, economy, and way of life.”
He added, “I’m going to keep pushing hard for USDA to get this funding out the door and into the hands of ranchers as quickly as possible.”
To be eligible for an ELRP payment under phase one of program delivery, livestock producers must have suffered gazing losses in a county rated by the U.S. Drought Monitor as having a D2 (severe drought) for eight consecutive weeks or a D3 (extreme drought) or higher level of drought intensity during the 2021 calendar year, and have applied and been approved for 2021 LFP.
To further expedite payments to eligible livestock producers, determine eligibility, and calculate an ELRP phase one payment, FSA will utilize livestock inventories and drought-affected forage acreage or restricted animal units and grazing days due to wildfire already reported by the producer when they submitted a 2021 CCC-853, Livestock Forage Disaster Program Application form.
Phase one ELRP payments will be equal to the eligible livestock producer’s gross 2021 LFP calculated payment multiplied by a payment percentage, to reach a reasonable approximation of increased supplemental feed costs for eligible livestock producers in 2021.
