North Dakota’s Emergency Commission has approved $2.5 million to reactivate the Emergency Feed Transportation Assistance Program.
It’s designed to reimburse livestock producers who have lost feed supplies in the drought for a portion of their expenses to truck in livestock feed, or to truck cattle to the feed.
The program will be run through the state Agriculture Department. State Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring told the Commission a number of producers have sold off cattle, due to the lack of feed in drought conditions.
"About 25 percent of the state's breeding stock has already been reduced or sold," Goehring said. "In three counties, 75 percent have already been reduced."
Those three counties are Eddy, Pierce and Benson.
Gov. Doug Burgum chairs the Industrial Commission. He said virtually 100 percent of the state is in drought, with more than 99 percent in severe drought, extreme drought and exceptional drought.
"A shower here or there is not solving the problem," Burgum said. "Livestock producers are facing very serious challenges."
The program will cover expenses from April 8th to November 30th.