Efforts continue to assist livestock producers effected by drought

NORTH DAKOTA – North Dakota Senator John Hoeven has joined South Dakota Senator John Thune and Montana Senator Jon Tester in urging U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Zach Ducheneaux to address a gap in coverage under the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP).

“[W]e continue to hear from producers who have been severely affected by drought this year and have incurred costs related to transporting their livestock to feed sources instead of hauling feed to their livestock,” the senators wrote. “Under current regulations, these producers are not eligible for ELAP transportation assistance. We respectfully request that FSA exercise its authority to further improve ELAP by providing payments to producers for a portion of the costs they have incurred from transporting their livestock to feed sources.”

USDA announced in September that it would provide ELAP assistance for the cost of transporting feed to livestock. Producers who are transporting their livestock to feed however, are not currently eligible for the program.

This article originally appeared on Devils Lake Journal: Efforts continue to assist livestock producers effected by drought