June 30, 1999

USDA is making another $70 million in payments to farmers and ranchers under the Livestock Assistance Program. Payments are compensation for 1998 grazing losses from droughts and other natural disasters. Already livestock producers have received $200 million under the program.

Congress originally made available $200 million for the program under the fiscal year 1999 appropriations bill singed last October. Those funds were disbursed to more than 167,000 producers in 31 states for 1998 grazing losses. That money, however, covered only 22.1% of the total loss an individual producer experienced.

The supplemental appropriations bill provided another $70 million for the program. That will increase payments to 30% of producer losses. Payments are based on reimbursing farmers for a portion of their increased feed costs resulting from grazing losses.