UDAF To Distribute $126,000 To Eligible
Livestock Owners

Salt Lake City – The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food is distributing more than $126,000 in credits to qualified livestock owners, as the department concludes its 2004 Non-fat Dry Milk (NDM) drought assistance program.

The credits are being held for 534 cattle, bison, sheep and goat ranchers who have already signed up and participated in the 2004 NDM program. The department is asking that those ranchers contact the UDAF to arrange to receive their credit. That credit can be redeemed at participating feed dealers in Utah.

“We are asking that those who have received a letter from the department recently, contact us immediately to arrange to receive their credit,” said Acting Commissioner of Agriculture and Food, Kyle Stephens. Payments can range from $60 to $2,500.

During 2004, Utah and several other western states distributed millions of pounds of powdered milk as part of a U.S. Department of Agriculture drought relief program. In Utah, all but 990,000 pounds were claimed by eligible livestock owners. The unclaimed powdered milk was recently sold at auction to feed dealers. The proceeds, valued at $126,720, are being distributed to the 534 eligible livestock owners in the form of a credit at specific feed dealers. The USDA limited the NDM program to 10 counties in Utah: Beaver, Box Elder, Cache, Garfield, Iron, Kane, Rich, San Juan, Summit, and Washington.

Visit: http://ag.utah.gov/drymilkprogram.html for more information about the NDM program.