Wisconsin Ag Connection - Doyle Announces Drought Relief Funds for Livestock Producers

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Doyle Announces Drought Relief Funds for Livestock Producers
Wisconsin Ag Connection - 02/23/2007

Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle announced that more than $575,000 in drought relief has been provided to help livestock producers in Northwestern Wisconsin who suffered losses during last summer's drought. In the 12-county drought designation area, 488 farms qualified for assistance.

"It's cold and snowy outside now, but we had an incredibly hot, dry summer and these grants will help farmers recover some of their losses," Governor Doyle said. "The summer droughts were hard for a lot of Wisconsin farm families, particularly in Northwest Wisconsin. Agriculture is the backbone of our state's economy, so I am pleased to be able to provide some assistance to these families."

The grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture went to producers in Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Iron, Polk, Price, Rusk, Sawyer, Taylor and Washburn Counties, all of which were declared drought disaster areas in 2006. Each county suffered severe to extreme drought conditions for most of the summer, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.

Grant payments were based on forage production losses from the drought and number of animals owned. Eligible producers were those with mature beef cattle, sheep, grazing dairy cattle, bison, elk or deer. The grants covered more than 31,000 animals and 113,000 acres of forage and pasture.

The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture evaluated the 572 grant applications received and made awards to 488 eligible farms. Not all applicants were eligible.

Last year, Governor Doyle requested U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns declare 23 counties in Northern Wisconsin disaster areas because of drought and early killing frost. While Secretary Johanns issued the disaster declaration, only 12 counties in the Northwestern corner of the state suffered severe enough losses to be eligible for livestock assistance. Producers in the other 11 counties may qualify for low interest federal loans.