Article Body
Office of the Governor
500 E. Capitol Ave.
Pierre, SD57501
(605) 773-3212
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, July 7, 2006
CONTACT: Mark Johnston or Roxy Everson (605) 773-3212
Drought Assistance Approved for 20 South Dakota Counties
Pierre, SD – Following a request from Governor Mike Rounds, the US Department of Agriculture has made a drought disaster declaration for 20 South Dakota Counties.
The declaration allows farmers and ranchers in those twenty counties to hay and graze their Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres starting July 15, 2006. It also allows ranchers to graze their CP-23 (wetland restoration) acres July 15, 2006.
Counties included in the drought disaster declaration are Beadle, Campbell, Corson, Dewey, Edmunds, Faulk, Hand, Hughes, Hyde, Jerauld, Jones, Lyman, McPherson, Perkins, Potter, Sanborn, Stanley, Sully, Walworth, and Ziebach.
“Many of the counties included in the disaster declaration are in their seventh consecutive year of drought. The state can’t make up for the lack of rain, but early haying and grazing is one area we have the power to provide relief,” said Governor Mike Rounds. “Hopefully the early haying and grazing will allow producers to be able to feed and keep their livestock.”
Producers in those counties should meet with their local Farm Service Agency to get the necessary paperwork before haying or grazing any CRP or CP-23 land.
The state is also helping the relief effort by allowing farmers and ranchers to mow the right-of-ways along state highways earlier than normal. Governor Rounds is also waiving permit fees for the transportation of baled livestock feed and expanding the hours overwidth loads are allowed to travel on state highways and the interstate system.
Additionally the state has activated its feed finder hotline. This helps connect people who are looking for feed with those who have feed available. The hotline can be accessed by calling 1-800-228-5254 or online at http://www.state.sd.us/doa .
-30-