Lincoln County eligible for drought assistance

Officials with the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that Lincoln County — along with 14 other Montana counties — was eligible for drought assistance on July 6.

The designations brought the number of counties qualified for federal drought funds to 31 out of the state’s 56. Lincoln County became eligible for assistance since it lies contiguous to counties in Idaho that the USDA deemed primary natural disaster counties, according to a statement from Gov. Greg Gianforte.

Brooke Stroyke, Gianfote’s press secretary, said that state officials were glad to see Lincoln County receive the designation, especially given the high temperatures the area saw in the past week.

USDA drought assistance includes emergency loans for farming equipment and operations, according to the department’s website.

The local drought designations came on the heels of Gianforte’s July 1 declaration of a statewide drought emergency. That day, the governor also penned a letter to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack asking for federal assistance.

“As we continue to see record-breaking temperatures from Libby to Glendive, it is imperative that the [USDA] aid Montana communities in accessing critical resources,” Gianforte wrote.

The governor noted that around 91 percent of the state was facing abnormally dry to extreme drought conditions as of June 22. Roughly 52 percent of the state faced similar conditions at the same time last year.

Along with high temperatures, Gianforte said drought conditions would be aggravated by a lack of rain. The Montana Drought Forecast Report had projected below-normal precipitation throughout the state, according to the governor’s letter.

Gianforte’s executive order declaring the statewide drought emergency suspends regulations for motor carriers and commercial vehicle operators while providing direct drought-related support.