FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) — A major boost for Central Valley livestock producers impacted by recent floods and wildfires has been announced.<\/p>\n
In an exclusive interview with the Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Stephen Alexander, the USDA has announced it’s offering $1 billion in disaster recovery assistance to eligible livestock producers here in California.<\/p>\n
The relief program is meant to help offset increased supplemental feed costs due to a qualifying flood or qualifying wildfire in the calendar years of 2023 and 2024.<\/p>\n
Most California dairy farmers are eligible for the funds and sign-ups begin Monday, September 15.<\/p>\n
“This emergency livestock relief program will provide relief to those livestock producers who experienced harm from those natural disasters, and the amount of money that we’re going to be putting out and that we’re announcing today is $1 billion,” Alexander said. “That’s going to be on top of the $1 billion that we announced in May to help produce to help producers for losses, for drought, and wildfire on public land.”<\/p>\n
The USDA says dairy farmers in all Central Valley counties qualify and can receive up to 60 percent of one month of calculated feed costs for a qualifying wildfire or three months for a qualifying flood.<\/p>\n