Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte (R) penned a letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, asking him to identify several counties as drought disaster areas due to hot, dry conditions in the northwest portion of the state.
Specifically, Gianforte asked for drought disaster declarations in Flathead, Lincoln, Glacier, Toole, Sanders, Lake, Pondera, Mineral, Missoula, Ravalli and Sheridan counties.
The declaration would allow producers to access USDA programs such as Livestock Forage Program, Emergency Conservation Program and Emergency Livestock Assistance Program.
“Relief is needed as swiftly as possible, particularly for our agriculture producers, who are seeing impacts to forage and stock water availability due to drought conditions and low water levels,” Gianforte wrote.
