Drought Assistance Improvement Act

House Votes

This bill aims to get help to farmers and ranchers faster during droughts. It changes the Livestock Forage Disaster Program so that when a county has four straight weeks of severe drought (D2), ranchers can get one monthly payment. If the drought lasts eight straight weeks, they can get two payments. Right now, they only get one payment after eight weeks, so this would speed up and increase aid in long droughts.

It also updates emergency help for livestock, honey bees, and farm-raised fish. The bill makes crawfish harvest losses from bad weather or drought clearly covered and tells the Farm Service Agency to set simple, clear paperwork standards for collecting data, showing crawfish production losses, and defining what counts as a drought loss .

Key points

• Who is affected: Livestock producers, beekeepers, and farm-raised fish producers, including crawfish farmers.
• What changes: Faster and larger drought payments for grazing losses; clear coverage for crawfish losses; standardized, easier documentation for drought-related claims .
• Why it matters: Helps producers bridge feed and income gaps sooner during severe droughts and reduces red tape when filing claims.