Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D.
With Farm Service Agency county offices closed due to the government shutdown, Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., issued guidance to ranchers on what records they should keep to try to make a livestock disaster loss claim at some point in the future.

The livestock disaster program expired with the 2008 farm bill, but the new House and Senate farm bills would reauthorize it.

While South Dakota appears to have been the state hit hardest by a blizzard last weekend, Heitkamp noted that she has been hearing from ranchers throughout southwestern North Dakota whose cattle herds have been destroyed by the storm.

“These ranchers are just more collateral damage from the government shutdown and the expiration of the farm bill,” Heitkamp said.

“Because we’re debating whether to fund the federal government or not, Congress isn’t able to work to pass a farm bill and focus on many other pressing issues,” she said. “It’s time for Congress to stop its political bickering and do the right thing — for our ranchers, farmers, and many others who are suffering because of Congress’ inaction.”

To clearly document losses, Heitkamp said ranchers should:

1. Take a time-stamped photo of the cattle losses that occurred as a result of the storm.
2. Provide a detailed account of inventory before the storm and losses as a result of the storm.
3. Provide third-party verification of the losses that occurred. Third-party verifiers must be a person familiar with a rancher’s operations that do not have a financial interest in the ranching operation, such as veterinarians, livestock nutritionists, or brand inspectors.