This bill, called the Drought Assistance Improvement Act, changes two USDA disaster assistance programs that help livestock producers and some aquaculture producers during drought.
Section 2 changes the Livestock Forage Disaster Program. It creates two eligibility options: if grazing loss lasts 4 consecutive weeks during the county's normal grazing period, a producer may receive one monthly payment; if loss lasts 8 consecutive weeks, a producer may receive two monthly payments (the text replaces the earlier single-payment rule tied to 8 weeks).
Section 3 amends the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program. It adds drought to the list of covered causes. It requires the Secretary (in consultation with eligible farm-raised fish producers) to set documentation standards for collecting data, for measuring crawfish production related to reduced harvest, and for defining loss conditions due to drought. It also makes reduced crawfish harvest caused by adverse weather or drought explicitly eligible.
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The bill's text shows it seeks to improve drought assistance by expanding when payments can start, increasing payment amounts for longer losses, and by clarifying documentation for farm-raised fish and crawfish losses due to drought.
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