Farm Bill provides USDA resources to help Montana ranchers
(The following is a press release from Senator Walsh’s office, U.S. SENATE) – Senator John Walsh today announced that critical disaster relief resources to help Montana ranchers recover from the loss of livestock and increased feed cost are now available through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The recently-passed Farm Bill provides permanent disaster coverage, retroactive to October 1, 2011.
“Now that the Farm Bill is law, the disaster relief programs Montana ranchers rely on to recover from devastating fires, storms, and drought are finally available,” said Walsh, a member of the Agriculture Committee. “I will do everything I can to make sure we put the Farm Bill to work for Montana, making sure ranchers know what resources are available and help them access the assistance so they can stay in business and keep Montana’s ag economy strong.”
Montana ranchers with eligible losses can sign up for disaster payments starting April 15th at their local county FSA office.
Sen. Walsh’s offices are available to Montanans to help them assess what assistance they are eligible for. The Washington, D.C. office can be reached at (202) 224-2651, and the Bozeman office, where Walsh’s agriculture caseworker will be housed, can be reached at (406) 586-6104.