8-27 IAN FSA Disaster
Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, has authorized drought disaster designations to five Idaho counties. USDA is assisting farmers and ranchers using a variety of tools. Special provisions have been made to the Farm Service Agency emergency loan program and conservation reserve program as well the federal crop insurance program. These changes will provide greater flexibility for livestock producers facing forage and feed shortages as a result of drought.
Earlier this month, Secretary Vilsack announced that the required payment reimbursement for haying and grazing of CRP land would be reduced from 25% to 10%. Then on August 22, 2012, he announced that modifications will be made to the emergency loan program allowing them to be made earlier in the season. Here is Candy Moore with the Farm Service Agency: "Dick Rush, Idaho State Executive Director says that adding more flexibility to current program requirements will make much needed assistance more readily available to producers affected by disaster, in 5 counties including Bannock, Bear Lake, Cassia, Fremont and Oneida".
These changes in particular should benefit livestock producers who are facing higher feed costs or are at risk of liquidating their herd due to the drought."