15 Montana Counties Offered Federal Disaster Aid

Ranchers in 15 Montana counties can start getting federal aid to recover losses from this year’s drought.

Bruce Nelson of the Montana Farm Service Agency says the ranches affected by the drought are now eligible for the 2015 Livestock Forage Disaster Program.

The program provides compensation to eligible livestock producers who suffered grazing losses due to a qualifying drought or fire on federally managed land. Eligible producers must own or lease grazing land physically located in a county affected by drought during the normal grazing period.

The counties eligible for drought assistance are: Beaverhead, Deer Lodge, Flathead, Glacier, Granite, Lake, Lewis and Clark, Lincoln, Mineral, Missoula, Pondera, Powell, Ravalli, Sanders and Silver Bow.

Producers must complete an application and provide supporting documentation for 2015 losses by Jan. 30, 2016.