Hoeven sponsors bipartisan bill to bolster livestock disaster assistance

Federal livestock disaster assistance programs would be improved under a bipartisan bill recently introduced by U.S. Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND) that aims to help the nation’s producers impacted by severe drought and other natural disasters.

“Our livestock producers are facing real challenges during this drought,” said Sen. Hoeven, who serves on the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee. “Our ranchers are really up against it and this bipartisan legislation is about doing all we can to help them through this severe weather.”

Sen. Hoeven on Aug. 10 sponsored S. 2707 with lead original cosponsor U.S. Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) to better align coverage between the Livestock Forage Program (LFP) and the Emergency Livestock Assistance Program (ELAP).

“Our bipartisan legislation makes commonsense improvements to the Livestock Forage and Emergency Livestock Assistance Programs to better meet the needs on the ground,” Sen. Hoeven said. 

If enacted, S. 2707 would increase producer assistance under LFP to more accurately compensate them for feed costs, specify that transportation costs for feed and water are covered losses under ELAP, and make these program improvements permanent, according to a bill summary provided by Sen. Hoeven’s staff.  

“We are experiencing a devastating drought that has touched every corner of Montana and put a real hurt on livestock producers in our state,” said Sen. Tester. “This bipartisan bill will beef up critical livestock disaster programs, providing additional certainty so Montana ranchers can weather this year’s drought and emerge whole on the other side of this crisis.” 

Members of the U.S. Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee are reviewing the measure.