We need drought relief.
Today in South Dakota, much of our state is experiencing a significant drought.
Ranchers are struggling to feed their livestock and farmers are concerned about their crops.
Despite recent rainfall across much of the state, these dry conditions are expected to continue into the summer.
The drought underscores the importance of the farm bill, the primary ag and food policy legislation that directs U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs and is generally up for reauthorization every five years.
Those discussions include the importance of safety net programs such as crop insurance and the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), which are designed to help farmers and ranchers during adverse times, such as during a drought.
In our letter, we asked him to be ready to provide expedited assistance to counties that will likely soon be in extreme drought conditions and eligible for assistance from the Livestock Forage Program (LFP).
We also requested that CRP acres be made available for emergency haying and grazing as soon as possible due to the substantial loss of grazing and forage for feed.
Most recently, Governor Dennis Daugaard declared a statewide emergency because of the ongoing drought conditions in South Dakota.
In South Dakota, our farmers and ranchers are not immune to challenging conditions.