This week I want to highlight important news for District 23 regarding drought relief. The United States Department of Agriculture has designated six Nebraska counties, including Colfax County, as primary natural disaster zones, and 14 counties, including Saunders and Butler Counties, as contiguous disaster zones.

Under these designations, producers who suffered losses caused by droughts may be eligible for expedited emergency loans. The emergency loans may be used for a variety of needs including replacement of equipment or livestock, loss of crops, or to refinance certain debts. Producers may apply for this emergency loan through their local Farm Service Agency office until May 11th, 2021. More information on this program can be found at farmers.gov/recover.

The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) has also extended the deadline for emergency haying and grazing on Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres in Colfax and Saunders counties until December 31st, 2020, with some restrictions.

Haying, for example, is restricted to one cutting at no more than 50% of each field, and the hay must be removed from the CRP acres within 15 days after being baled. Producers who graze their livestock on CRP acres should also leave 25% of each field ungrazed. Importantly, there will also be no annual CRP rental payment deduction for emergency haying and grazing authorizations. To participate in this extension or find more information on starting CRP haying or grazing, you will need to apply through your county FSA office.

Colfax County livestock producers, who suffered grazing losses due to drought, are also eligible for further drought relief through the USDA’s Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP). The LFP will provide compensation to eligible producers on small, grain, native pasture, improved pasture, ryegrass, or forage sorghum. In order to apply for this program, please contact the Colfax County FSA office at (402) 352-5200 before the January, 30th deadline. For further information such as covered livestock or further eligibility requirements visit farmers.gov/recover.

Governor Ricketts recently declared October as Bioscience month in Nebraska. Bioscience encompasses industries such as renewable fuels, agricultural processing, and human and animal health sectors. For District 23, renewable fuels such as ethanol play a vital role in our community economies. Farmers, ranchers, rural communities, and our environment all benefit greatly from the production and use of renewable fuel. Our district’s farmers further benefit from the bioscience industry with its research and development of more resilient seeds with greater outputs, and more efficient farming practices.

Lastly, Governor Ricketts also declared October manufacturing month in Nebraska. Manufacturing is Nebraska’s second largest industry, employing roughly 100,000 people in the state, and is one of the fastest growing industries for high-paying jobs. Manufacturing contributes nearly $13 billion to Nebraska’s gross state product annually according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

I appreciate hearing from constituents on issues affecting District 23 and encourage you to contact my office on legislation at 402-471-2719 or bbostelman@leg.ne.gov.