USDA miscalculates cattle numbers in drought aid
By ROXANA HEGEMAN, Associated Press Writer
Friday, September 15, 2006 2:05 PM CDT
WICHITA, Kan. — A top official at the U.S. Department of Agriculture has apologized to Kansas cattlemen for a miscalculation that will mean $3.8 million fewer dollars than the state had been promised for drought assistance.
John Johnson, deputy administrator for farm programs at the Farm Service Agency, said the error was discovered Friday when officials realized they had used data that included the numbers of feedlot cattle for Kansas, Wyoming and Arizona.
The program is designed to help cattlemen who are struggling to pay for feed or find places for cattle to graze during a drought.
“We apologize for the error — unfortunately it means a major reduction in Kansas and a minor adjustment in Wyoming and Arizona,” Johnson said Monday.
Under revised figures the department received late Friday, Kansas’ share of the $50 million program will be $948,511. The state had been promised $4.78 million.
The reduction in Kansas was dramatic because the state has large feedlots in southwest Kansas, Johnson said.
Kansas is the nation’s second-largest cattle-producing state behind Texas. It is sixth largest in the number of beef cows without the number of cattle in feed yards calculated.
“We were at a point of time where we were going to have some significant relief in terms of a grant program,” Kansas Agriculture Secretary Adrian Polansky said. “Now with the funds we appear eligible for, it is going to be a drop in the bucket in regards to the losses producers had endured.”
The state had serious forage loss this year throughout the state, officials said. Grass production for grazing has been reduced, as has hay production. Many ponds used for watering livestock have dried up, forcing farmers to haul water daily to cattle. Kansas ranchers in 24 drought-designated counties are eligible for assistance.
Polansky said based on rough calculations, Kansas cattlemen would be receiving about $3 per head in drought assistance money. The department will meet with farm groups Friday to map out a distribution program for the money.
Matt Teagarden, director of industry relations for the Kansas Livestock Association, said he has not heard any of its members express anger over the miscalculation.
“Our members typically don’t look to the government for bailing them out,” he said. “Producers adjust and manage the best they can ... and hope for better times down the road.”
The downward adjustment means Wyoming and Arizona will get about between $217,000 and $270,000 less in drought aid.
Polansky questioned whether the USDA still has its numbers right, noting that states such as Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama that have far fewer cattle are getting about the same livestock drought assistance money as Kansas.
Louisiana, for example, is getting $958,437 in drought aid for its cattlemen — about $10,000 more than Kansas.
“That just seems incredible to me,” Polansky said.
Johnson defended the Louisiana numbers, saying they were based on foundation herds.
“We’ll do everything we can to avoid any confrontation we can, but this is a very serious problem and we still have to discharge our duty,” he said.
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