Governor to Request USDA Disaster Designation

Governor Mark Gordon announced Monday that he intends to request USDA Disaster Designation. Sheridan Media’s Ron Richter has the details.

Gordon said that due to a combination of factors, this winter has been particularly hard for Wyoming’s sheep and cattle producers, as the winter started exceptionally early and has resulted in significant snow levels and considerable drifting. Ongoing windy conditions and drifting snow is hampering efforts to reach livestock. Mortality has been high thus far and is expected to increase well into the spring as a result of this harsh winter.

Gordon added that The State of Wyoming is already at work with partners, including the United States Department of Agriculture and Farm Service Agency, to determine losses, the period of impact and the geographic scale of impact due to these extraordinary conditions. This information, together with information from producers, will be used to submit a request for a Secretarial Disaster Designation in the coming days. Producers are urged to contact their local Farm Service Agency as soon as possible so that required specific information can be submitted in the correct format.

USDA Secretarial disaster designations must be requested of the Secretary of Agriculture, by a Governor or the Governor’s authorized representative, by an Indian Tribal Council leader, or by an FSA State Executive Director (SED).