Governor Gianforte Announces USDA Designates Drought in Montana Counties

Farmers eligible for loan assistance

Governor's Office

HELENA, Mont. - Governor Greg Gianforte today announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) designated ten Montana counties as primary natural disaster areas due to drought.

In a letter received from USDA Undersecretary Brooke Appleton, the governor was notified that the following counties were designated, having experienced severe or extreme drought during the growing season: Beaverhead, Cascade, Chouteau, Glacier, Hill, Liberty, Madison, Pondera, Teton, and Toole.

The disaster designation makes farm operators eligible to be considered for Farm Service Agency (FSA) emergency loan assistance, provided eligibility requirements are met. FSA considers each emergency loan application on its own merits, taking into account the extent of production losses on the farm and the repayment ability of the operator.

Additional counties were designated as contiguous to the primary counties impacted, including: Blaine, Deer Lodge, Fergus, Flathead, Gallatin, Jefferson, Judith Basin, Lewis and Clark, Meagher, Ravalli, and Silver Bow. These adjacent counties also qualify for the federal emergency agricultural aid.

The determination of drought was assessed using the U.S. Drought Monitor, where qualifying drought impact is categorized as levels D2, D3, and D4, measured by examples such as livestock ponds are low or dry, cattle have very little water, crops are not harvestable, or pasture loss is widespread.

Farmers in eligible counties have eight months from the date of a Secretarial disaster declaration to apply for emergency loans. Affected Montana farmers are encouraged to contact their local FSA office for further information.

The letter from the USDA can be viewed here.

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