TSCRA: Cattle Groups Ask For Immediate Disaster Relief
In a letter to the Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico congressional delegations, Sherron and Gillcrist noted that there was very little water and very little grass left in many areas. Livestock-related losses have already reached $1.6 billion in Texas alone. “A drought of historic proportions faces us, already equal to that of the 1950s,” they pointed out.
It is estimated that 77 percent of Texas’ hay production has been lost. As of August 15, Oklahoma had an 80% poor to very poor pasture and range rating—making the state tied for the worst conditions in the lower 48 states. Rising hay and supplemental feed costs are forcing many ranchers to sell brood cows that normally would not go to market. Others are liquidating their entire herds.
“This scaling back of the cowherd will have long-term impacts on ranchers, local communities, feedyards and the economy as it shrinks the cattle industries’ contribution to economic output for the foreseeable future,” the letter said.
Besides drought, Texas and Oklahoma continue to be besieged by range fires. Rural residents have lost forage, livestock, fences, barns, homes and even loved ones by the fierce and devastating effects of range fires.
“Disaster programs such as the Livestock Assistance Program, the Livestock Indemnity Program and the Emergency Conservation Program need much greater funding to provide producers with monetary assistance for forage and feed losses, water, indemnification for dead livestock and rebuilding structures and fences lost by fire,” the groups said. “The cattle industry also needs tax relief extended to those forced to sell off breeding stock.”
Sherron and Gillcrist asked Congress to quickly pass an agriculture disaster assistance package upon its return from summer recess in September.
“The need for help is immediate,” they said. “If attention to this issue is put off until the next legislative session, it will be too late for many.”