ND Department of Agriculture Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE APRIL 16, 2009

FUNDS TO BE USED FOR FEED TRANSPORTATION ASSISTANCE

BISMARCK – Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring says that North Dakota now has the authority to spend federal dollars marked for emergency livestock assistance, and that getting feed to stranded livestock is the first priority for those funds.

“Producers who have stranded livestock or no access to feed should report their situation as soon as possible to their local extension agent,” Goehring said. “The extension agents will in turn report to county emergency managers.”

Producers should report the number, kind and location of stranded livestock or isolated feed and convey their situation to them. A list of extension agents is available at www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/ctyweb.htm.

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack authorized $750,000 in emergency livestock assistance funds Friday, after he conferred by teleconference with Goehring, Gov. John Hoeven, state and federal officials and North Dakota farm organization representatives. The funds became available Thursday, after the state received a memorandum of understanding from USDA.

Goehring met with legislative leaders and representatives of leading farm organizations Monday, to discuss possible guidelines for using the funds.

“We all recognize the tremendous difficulties and hardship producers are facing,” he said. “There was a consensus of all the concerned parties from the federal government to the agriculture groups that getting feed to stranded livestock that would otherwise perish is the top priority for spending these funds.”

Goehring said that North Dakota is grateful for the federal assistance, but that he and other state officials will continue to press USDA to help producers.

“We all hope the federal government will speed up the process for implementing the livestock assistance programs under the new Farm Bill,” he said. “We have hundreds, perhaps thousands of producers, who face an uncertain future unless help arrives.”

-30-

MEDIA: For more information, please call Ted Quanrud at (701) 328-2233 or tquanrud@nd.gov or Patrice Lahlum at (701) 239-7210 or plahlum@nd.gov.