GLICKMAN ANNOUNCES ADDITIONAL $231 MILLION FOR DROUGHT RELIEF
                                           Release No. 0080.00 
                                                               
                                                                  
                            Mary Beth Schultheis (202) 720-4623
                                  mary_beth.schultheis@usda.gov
                                    Dann Stuart (202) 690-0474 
                                    Dan_Stuart@wdc.fsa.usda.gov
                                                               
                                                               
GLICKMAN ANNOUNCES ADDITIONAL $231 MILLION FOR DROUGHT RELIEF 

30 Additional Texas Counties Declared Disaster Areas

     WASHINGTON, March 13, 2000--Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman today
announced that farmers and ranchers will receive about $231 million in payments
for 1999 grazing losses, damaged pasture land and loss of livestock due to
droughts and other natural disasters.

     "For our farmers and ranchers, Mother Nature's whims can be the difference
between profiting and perishing.  More than any other vocation, farmers are at
the mercy of forces completely beyond their control," said Glickman.  "This
assistance will help get producers back on their feet again."

     USDA's Farm Service Agency is designating $191 million for grazing losses
and 1999 livestock losses.  Grazing payments will be made to more than 214,000
livestock producers in 44 states. Over 700 livestock producers will receive
payments for the loss of more than 79,000 head of livestock. Payments will begin
this week.

     An additional $40 million will help producers reestablish pasture land. 
Established pasture is eligible if damage by drought will require reseeding to
reestablish the forage crop where livestock normally grazed.  Sign up for the
program will begin March 20, 2000.

     Glickman also announced a drought disaster declaration for ten Texas
counties, and twenty contiguous counties.  Last month 40 other counties counties
were also declared disaster areas.  This designation makes all family-sized farm
operators in both primary and contiguous counties eligible for low-interest
emergency loans from the Farm Service Agency.  

     Primary disaster counties named are  Falls, Fisher, Hays, Johnson, Lee,
Menard, Morris, Shackelford, Upshur and Williamson Counties.  Contiguous counties
named are Bastrop, Blanco, Caldwell, Comal, Ellis, Fayette, Gregg, Guadalupe,
Hood, Jones, Kimble, Mitchell, Parker, Scurry, Smith, Somervell, Sutton, Tarrant,
Travis, and Washington Counties.

     Additional information on these programs can be found on website: 
www.fsa.usda.gov

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