Gov. Doug Burgum and Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring have announced the availability of a program that will reimburse eligible producers for a portion of feed transportation expenses. The Emergency Feed Transportation Assistance Program will help producers who have verifiable feed losses as a result of extraordinary weather conditions this fall.
The state Emergency Commission met Wednesday and unanimously approved $250,000 for the program.
“Some producers have lost feed or were unable to access feed and have had to purchase hay or feed,” said Goehring. “This program will assist producers with defraying some of those transportation costs.”
“Livestock is a billion-dollar industry in North Dakota, and producers have been hard hit by the wettest August-September-October period on record in 125 years,” said Burgum, who chairs the Commission. “This is a narrow program to try to support our livestock producers in this extremely challenging area of feed availability and access.”
Program eligibility requirements include:
- Must have verifiable feed losses which required the producer to purchase supplemental feed or haul breeding livestock to a feedlot. Examples include:
- Producer was unable to cut corn at the appropriate time to make silage.
- Producer had hay that was flooded.
- Producer lost access to hay or other feed.
- Must own at least 25 animal unit equivalents of dairy cattle, beef cattle, bison, sheep or goats. A description of animal unit equivalents may be found directly on the application.
- Feed must be used for the purposes of the producer’s own livestock operation.
- Feed is considered to be hay or any other forage (excluding silage); grain including distillers and other co-products; straw and other feed supplements.
- Transportation costs must have been incurred between Sept. 30, 2019, and Jan. 31, 2020.
- Must have costs related to transportation outside of an applicant’s normal livestock operation.
Producers must provide verifiable feed losses through photos, written descriptions and third-party verifications. Applicants must have receipts for purchased feed and transportation costs. Transportation costs will be reviewed and approved based on standard trucking rates. The program will reimburse producers a portion of expenses dependent on the total amount of eligible applications received and approved through the program.
Livestock producers interested in applying or wanting to find more information on eligibility should go to the North Dakota Department of Agriculture’s website at www.nd.gov/ndda to fill out and submit an application or to download a paper version.
Applications must be submitted or postmarked by Feb. 10, 2020.
Goehring encouraged those willing to help transport feed to add their information to the Hay Hotline by calling 701-425-8454 to have their name and information added to the database. A self-service Hay Hotline map is available at www.nd.gov/ndda/ for those looking for forage.
Questions about acceptable feedstocks or filling out the application may be directed to 1-800-242-7535 or haytransport@nd.gov.