Local farmers and ranchers in Grant County are eligible to apply for a federal relief program which provides benefits to livestock owners who experience losses due to qualifying drought conditions.
According to the Sheridan Headlight newspaper, the Livestock Forage Disaster program (LFD) helps offset feed costs when drought conditions limit natural forage production.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency determined that Grant County qualified for the program Oct. 20.
The payments are available to producers who own or lease livestock that depend mainly on grazing for nutrition.
Eligible livestock including beef cattle, dairy cattle, buffalo, bison, beefalo, equine (limited to those that are used to work cattle), goats, sheep, alpacas, llamas, deer, elk, reindeer, ostriches and emus.
Livestock must have been owned, leased, purchased or under a purchase contract during the 60 days prior to the qualifying drought.
Producers must enroll in the program through their local Farm Service Agency office, and they may also apply for Non-Insured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) grazing insurance.
