Gianforte announces drought designation in 5 counties
Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture recently designated five Montana counties as primary natural disaster areas due to drought.
In a letter from USDA Undersecretary Brooke Appleton, the governor was notified that the following counties were designated, having experienced severe or extreme drought during the growing season: Dawson, Richland, Roosevelt, Sheridan and Wibaux.
The disaster designation makes farm operators eligible to be considered for Farm Service Agency emergency loan assistance, provided eligibility requirements are met. Additional counties were designated as contiguous to the primary counties, including Daniels, Fallon, McCone, Prairie and Valley. Beaverhead and Ravalli counties are listed as adjacent counties through an Idaho designation.
