Drought disaster designations  have been authorized for five Idaho counties, including Bannock, Bear Lake, Cassia, Fremont and Oneida. Counties contingent to these primary counties also received disaster designations, according to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack.

    The USDA is assisting farmers and ranchers using a variety of tools. Special provisions have been made to the Farm Service Agency emergency loan program and conservation reserve program as well the federal crop insurance program because of drought conditions. These changes will provide greater flexibility for livestock producers facing forage and feed shortages as a result of drought.

     Earlier this month, Vilsack announced that the required payment reimbursement for haying and grazing of CRP land would be reduced from 25% to 10%. Then on Aug. 22, he announced that modifications will be made to the emergency loan program allowing them to be made earlier in the season.

     In the past, emergency loan eligibility was determined after the production cycle. Producers will no longer have to wait until the end of the production cycle to obtain a loan. This change will support producers who currently need assistance to help offset high production costs.

     Also, the Risk Management Agency (RMA) federal crop insurance program now allows producers to hay or graze cover crops without forfeiting crop insurance eligibility on planted 2013 spring crops.

    This change is beneficial to livestock producers by making forage and feed available this fall and winter. However, before making any plans to plant crop cover, producers should consult with their insurance agent, according to RMA.

     "Adding more flexibility to current program requirements will make much needed assistance more readily available to producers affected by disaster," said Dick Rush, Idaho State Executive Director. "These changes in particular should benefit livestock producers who are facing higher feed costs or are at risk of liquidating their herd due to the drought."

    Rush added that these are interim measures until Congress passes more comprehensive disaster legislation.

     For more information regarding special provisions to the emergency loan program, please contact your local FSA office or visit www.fsa.usda.gov/id.