Dakotas Ranchers to get Federal Blizzard Help Soon
Congressional delegation members from the Dakotas say the U.S. Department of Agriculture has agreed to expedite implementation of a farm bill provision that will help ranchers in the Dakotas hurt by an early October blizzard.
The farm bill passed by Congress last week restarts a livestock disaster program that had expired. Federal lawmakers from the Dakotas have been pressing USDA to expedite implementation of the provision.
Sen. Heidi Heitkamp and Rep. Kristi Noem say USDA has agreed and will begin accepting applications in mid-April.
Western South Dakota ranchers lost an estimated 43,000 cattle and other livestock in the Oct. 4-5 blizzard. North Dakota losses have not officially been tabulated but are believed to be more than 1,000 animals.
Source: Associated Press