A program to reimburse producers in North Dakota for a portion of their extra hay transportation expenses due to the drought is now open.

The Department of Emergency Services has allocated $1.5 million to the effort. The deadline to apply for aid is Nov. 3.

“Hay shortages have forced producers to purchase and transport hay from increasingly farther distances,” says Doug Goehring, North Dakota agriculture commissioner. “This program will assist producers with defraying some of those costs to help sustain their operation into the next year.”

To be eligible for the program:

• You must live in a North Dakota county that had been designated as D2, D3 or D4 on the Climate Prediction Center’s drought severity scale.

• You 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.

• Hay must be used for the purposes of the producer’s own livestock operation. Transportation of other feeds and supplements is not included in the program.

• Transportation costs must have been incurred between June 1 and Oct. 20, 2017.

• You must have costs related to transportation outside of your normal livestock operation.

• You have to have verifiable records of livestock inventories and hay transportation expenses. Only costs incurred between June 1 and Oct. 20 are eligible.

The program will reimburse a portion of expenses. The exact amount depends on the total number of applications approved.

To apply, see NDDA’s website at nd.gov/ndda.

Source: NDDA