U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.) joined a bipartisan group of his colleagues in sending a letter today to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack calling on the Obama Administration to expedite the implementation of the livestock disaster programs reauthorized in the 2014 Farm Bill. Blunt serves as the Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies.

“In 2012, U.S. grazing livestock producers experienced the most devastating loss of pasture, rangeland, and forage in decades due to the widespread drought,” the Senators wrote. “Due to the magnitude of pasture, forage, and livestock losses and the urgent need for financial assistance these losses have created, we strongly urge you to place implementation of 2014 Farm Bill livestock disaster programs as a top priority.”