Last Friday, Secretary Vilsack joined President Obama in California to announce new resources to help farmers and ranchers cope with devastating losses due to one of the state's worst droughts in over 100 years. This much-needed relief will provide up to $100 million in livestock disaster assistance and an additional $10 million for water conservation, and it would not be possible without the 2014 Agricultural Act.
Times like these underscore the importance of the Farm Bill to America's farmers, providing them with the resources they need to keep American agriculture productive and profitable and giving them confidence to grow and invest even when disaster strikes.
Last year, USDA launched the #MyFarmBill campaign asking you to share your stories about how Farm Bill programs impact you and your community. Your voices helped us showcase how important this legislation is to rural and urban communities alike. Take a look at how the Farm Bill responds:
New Farm Bill Provision:
Livestock producers impacted by tragic long-term drought, blizzards and other weather-related disasters will now receive much-needed disaster assistance relief.
Conservation programs will be streamlined to better target limited resources to areas of highest need, while building on record conservation and stewardship efforts underway today.