**Click here to view Heitkamp’s drought resources webpage**

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp today launched her new webpage to provide resource information for farmers and ranchers who have been hit hard by the severe drought that has spread across North Dakota.

Responding to the many North Dakotans she has heard from, Heitkamp’s webpage aims to provide information that can help connect them with the federal, state, and local resources they need. In Dickinson the month of May was the driest on record, and while recent rains have helped cool temperatures that spiked in the past few weeks, the small amount of precipitation was not enough to offset the amount of moisture needed to encourage enough forage growth to support cattle herds. By directing North Dakota farmers and ranchers to a centralized location, Heitkamp’s webpage works to help address both current issues related to the drought, and to connect them with helpful resources down the road.

“We know our farmers and ranchers count on steady rains to provide moisture for their crops and pastures where cattle can graze – but when that rain doesn’t come, we have to be prepared,” said Heitkamp. “Across central and western North Dakota, I’ve heard from ranchers who tell me this May was the worst drought they’ve ever seen – and that the recent small sprinkle of rain combined with strong winds didn’t make a dent in helping their pastures to recover. That’s why I’m launching my webpage for farmers and ranchers who have been hit hard by the drought – and don’t know what’s yet to come. By accessing resources available to them in the Farm Bill, connecting with others in the state that can help provide the hay they need to feed their cattle, and learning more about additional tools that can help provide relief, we can make sure all of our producers weather this drought together.”

Click here to view Heitkamp’s webpage, which includes helpful information to help North Dakota farmers and ranchers learn more about the resources available to them during tough times – including drought – as well as North Dakota Department of Agriculture’s Drought Hotline and interactive map.

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