Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) led the entire Nevada delegation in a letter urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) to utilize all tools and powers at its disposal to assist Nevada farmers and ranchers impacted by extreme winter weather. The letter is signed by Senator Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) and Representatives Mark Amodei (R-Nev.-02), Dina Titus (D-Nev.- 01), Susie Lee (D-Nev.-03), and Steven Horsford (D-Nev.-04).
Northern Nevada has seen multiple record breaking storms this winter. To date, the Eastern Nevada Basin has received 210% of its average yearly snowfall. Prolonged blizzard and winter conditions have caused major travel disruptions throughout the state, limited access to food sources, severe livestock stress, and increased livestock mortality.
“We write to you today regarding ongoing winter weather conditions in the Mountain West region, as well as the severe impact that it is having on farmers and ranchers in Nevada,” wrote the lawmakers.
“The Departments of Agriculture from four Western states, including Nevada, recently sent you a letter to request assistance with supplemental feed or water, snow removal, and the consideration of expanded eligibility for U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs,” they continued. “In particular, this letter called on you and your agency to utilize all tools and powers at its disposal to assist impacted farmers and ranchers with various needs resulting from extreme weather….We echo this call and respectfully request that you provide a prompt response to these Departments, and consider providing immediate assistance to Nevada producers.”
They concluded, “It is imperative that USDA disaster programs continue to respond to the challenges that Nevada farmers and ranchers face.”
The full text of the letter can be found here.
Senator Cortez Masto is a strong supporter of Nevada’s rural and agricultural communities and led the fight to protect the state’s family farms and ranches from an unfair tax hike. She has introduced bipartisan legislation to put rural Western communities on an equal footing when it comes to applying for critical infrastructure grants to improve school buildings, promote small businesses, and bolster telehealth and health care services. She’s introduced comprehensive legislation to help bolster wildfire prevention efforts, fund state-of-the-art firefighting equipment and programs, and support recovery efforts for communities impacted by fires.
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