Five Facts About the United States Drought Monitor

 

This is likely no surprise to you, but drought persists across the western U.S. and is intensifying in some areas. No geographic area is immune to the potential of drought at any given time. The U.S. Drought Monitor provides a weekly drought assessment, and it plays an important role in USDA programs that help farmers and ranchers build resilience and recover from drought. 

Learn five facts about the U.S. Drought Monitor.

USDA Urges Producers to Submit Applications for 2021 Grazing Loss Assistance by Jan. 31

 

To Expedite Future Assistance, Gather and Submit Loss Records Now for Livestock Forage Disaster Program 

WASHINGTON, Jan. 25, 2022 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reminds ranchers and livestock producers that they may be eligible for financial assistance through the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) for 2021 grazing losses due to a qualifying drought or fire. The deadline to apply for 2021 LFP assistance is Jan. 31, 2022. 

“Ongoing, widespread drought conditions have resulted in significant financial losses for agricultural producers, causing stress across rural America,” said Zach Ducheneaux, Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator. “I want to emphasize that the FSA is here to help offset these economic hardships and help producers rebuild with resilience. I’d like to encourage producers who suffered 2021 grazing losses to file their LFP applications as soon as possible to expedite payments. Timely filing is doubly important this year, as information gathered may be used to deliver upcoming disaster assistance.” 

For the 2021 program year, 901 counties in 26 states and territories have met drought severity levels that trigger LFP eligibility. More than $473.1 million has been paid, to date, to livestock producers eligible for 2021 LFP. For LFP, qualifying drought triggers are determined using the U.S. Drought Monitor. Visit the FSA LFP webpage for a list of eligible counties and grazing crops. 

LFP provides payments to eligible livestock producers and contract growers who also produce forage crops for grazing and suffered losses due to a qualifying drought or fire during the normal grazing period for the county.  Eligible livestock include alpacas, beef cattle, buffalo/bison, beefalo, dairy cattle, deer, elk, emus, equine, goats, llamas, reindeer or sheep that have been or would have been grazing the eligible grazing land or pastureland during the normal grazing period. 

To expedite the application process, producers are encouraged to gather and submit records documenting 2021 losses. Supporting documents may include information related to grazing leases, contract grower agreements, and more. 

More Information 
LFP is part of a broader suite of disaster assistance available through USDA.  

The Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP), which also has a Jan. 31, 2022, deadline, provides eligible producers with compensation for certain feed losses not covered by LFP as well as assistance with transporting water to livestock and feed transportation expenses. 

Additional disaster assistance information can be found on farmers.gov, including the Farmers.gov Drought Webpage, Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool, Disaster-at-a-Glance fact sheet, and Farm Loan Discovery Tool. 

For FSA and Natural Resources Conservation Service programs, including LFP and ELAP, producers should contact their local USDA Service Center. Service Center staff continue to work with agricultural producers via phone, email, and other digital tools. Due to the pandemic, some USDA Service Centers are open to limited visitors. For assistance with a crop insurance claim, producers and landowners should contact their crop insurance agent. 

USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. Under the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov. 

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.

Making Your Land More Resilient to Drought

 

Trouble viewing this email? View it as a webpage. Now that the 2021 crop year has ended, it’s time to start planning for 2022 and beyond. Many farmers and ranchers west of the Mississippi River have had a very difficult year in 2021 due to drought. Those in other areas of the country were spared from the worst of the drought this time but may not be as lucky in future years. So, as you’re planning for 2022 production, you may want to consider some conservation practices that can help make your land and livestock more resilient to drought and help your bottom line. USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service can help you conserve water and build resilience to drought, through conservation practices that improve irrigation efficiency, boost soil health, and manage grazing lands. Learn more about how to make your land more resilient to drought.

CONTACT US: Farm Service Agency Natural Resources Conservation Service Risk Management Agency Service Center Locator

Let’s come together for animal ag: 2022 Stakeholders Summit registration now open

U.S. Farm Report’s Tyne Morgan to return as Summit moderator

 

January 4, 2022 – The Animal Agriculture Alliance announced today that registration is now open for the 2022 Stakeholders Summit, themed “Come Together for Animal Ag: Be Informed, Be Ready, Be Here!” The Alliance’s annual event brings together thought leaders from all links along the food supply chain to discuss hot-button issues and out-of-the-box ideas to connect the farm and food communities, engage influencers and protect the future of animal agriculture.

 

 

The 2022 event will return to an in-person format and is slated for May 11-12 in Kansas City, Missouri. A virtual attendance option will also be available with five preconference webinars scheduled for the weeks leading up to the main event. An outline of the Summit agenda has been posted on the event website and the full speaker lineup will be announced soon. To register, visit https://bit.ly/AAA22Summit. Early registration discounts are available through March 9.

 

“The Alliance is delighted to welcome Summit attendees back to Kansas City for our first in-person event since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Kay Johnson Smith, Alliance president and CEO. “We know that the most effective way to safeguard the future of animal agriculture is to come together in person. The 2022 Stakeholders Summit is the perfect place to do just that as we bring together farmers, ranchers, veterinarians, animal feed companies, animal health companies, processors, allied associations and others involved in getting food from farm to fork.”

 

Tyne Morgan, host of U.S. Farm Report, will return as moderator for the event. Morgan plunged into broadcast at 16 through FFA public speaking and contest teams. While in high school, she worked at KMZU radio providing the daily farm market updates, as well as local, state and national agriculture news. Tyne attended the University of Missouri-Columbia where she majored in agriculture journalism, with an emphasis in broadcast. After spending countless hours on the road as AgDay and U.S. Farm Report national reporter, Tyne was named the first female host of U.S. Farm Report in 2014. Today, she travels the country, capturing the latest agricultural news, interviewing both farmers and industry leaders, as well as searching for compelling stories in rural America. 

 

Be sure to check the Summit website for the most up-to-date information. You can also follow the hashtag #AAA22 for periodic updates about the event. For general questions about Summit, please contact summit@animalagalliance.org or call (703) 562-5160.

 

Get involved:

Show your support for the Alliance’s premier event by becoming an official Summit sponsor today! For 2022 sponsorship opportunities, please visit https://animalagalliance.org/initiatives/stakeholders-summit/. For more information, contact Casey Kinler at ckinler@animalagalliance.org.  

 

Thank you to our 2022 Summit sponsors: Watt Global Media, Farm Journal, Meatingplace, National Pork Producers Council, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, National Pork Board, American Feed Industry Association, United Egg Producers, Dairy MAX, Adisseo, Progressive Dairy, Kemin, American Farm Bureau Federation, Empirical, American Veal Association, National Chicken Council, Agri Beef, Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, North Carolina Farm Bureau and Eggland’s Best.

 

The Alliance also thanks the following members for their continued support of Summit and other Alliance programs: U.S. Poultry & Egg Association, Zoetis, Merck Animal Health, C.O.nxt, Diamond V, Genus PLC – PIC/ABS, Aviagen Group, Boehringer Ingelheim, Cargill, Dairy Farmers of America, Hendrix Genetics, Hy-Line North America, LLC, Iowa Soybean Association, Kanas Soybean Commission, Midwest Dairy, National Turkey Federation, Nutrien, Provimi North America, Inc., Seaboard Foods and Tyson Foods Inc.

 

About the Alliance:

The Animal Agriculture Alliance safeguards the future of animal agriculture and its value to society by bridging the communication gap between the farm and food communities. We connect key food industry stakeholders to arm them with responses to emerging issues. We engage food chain influencers and promote consumer choice by helping them better understand modern animal agriculture. We protect by exposing those who threaten our nation’s food security with damaging misinformation. 

Find the Alliance on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.