Bipartisan bill aims to improve disaster aid for livestock

U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) recently reintroduced a bill to assist agricultural producers after adverse weather events.

The Livestock Disaster Assistance Improvement Act directs the U.S. Department of Agriculture to improve the accuracy of the U.S. Drought Monitor, which factors into disaster programs.

“South Dakota farmers and ranchers are all too familiar with working through extreme weather conditions, especially drought,” Thune said. “These common-sense updates to disaster programs would help provide greater and expedited assistance to producers when they need it the most. I’m proud to lead this bipartisan legislation that would make the Drought Monitor a more effective tool and help ensure USDA programs are using accurate and consistent data in administering programs that are designed to help the agriculture community.”

Some of the information from the legislation would include clarifying state and federal grazing permit holders who are eligible for the Emergency Conservation Program and the Emergency Forest Restoration Program.

One example would be the Farm Service Agency, which waives the 30-day public comment period for Bureau of Land Management National Environmental Policy Act applications during a drought emergency. Another area was the BLM accepting archeological reviews completed by Natural Resource Conservation Service field staff during a drought emergency.

Along with the USDM, the legislation would look at the Livestock Forage Program, which could allow a one-month payment when a county reaches D2 (severe drought) for four consecutive weeks compared to eight weeks under the current law.

“Drought, wildfires, and extreme weather are making it harder for New Mexico’s farmers and ranchers to care for livestock, grow crops, and support our communities,” Luján said. “As a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, I’m proud to reintroduce this bipartisan legislation to help farmers and ranchers get the support they need when disaster strikes. USDA programs must respond faster and more effectively to provide the relief New Mexicans deserve. This legislation will help our agricultural producers weather the impacts of extreme weather and disasters and keep contributing to our economy and food security.”