US to buy meat from drought-hit farmers

14 Aug 2012, 11:40 am   -   Source: AAP
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Many ranchers have been forced to bring their animals to market earlier than usual because they cannot afford the rising price of grain, thus cutting into the market value of their animals. (File: Getty)

Many ranchers have been forced to bring their animals to market earlier than usual because they cannot afford the rising price of grain, thus cutting into the market value of their animals. (File: Getty)

The US government will buy up to $160 million of meat from farmers to help them through the drought crisis.

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The US government plans to buy up to $US170 million ($A160 million) of meat from farmers to help them through the drought crisis, the US Department of Agriculture says.

The purchases will include $US100 million of pork products in addition to catfish, chicken and lamb.

The meat will be given to the federal nutritional assistance programs that include food banks and school lunches for the needy.

"President (Barack) Obama and I will continue to take swift action to get help to America's farmers and ranchers through this difficult time," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack in a news release on Monday.

More than half the counties in the United States have been declared natural disaster areas by the US Department of Agriculture due to the drought, which now covers more than 60 per cent of the lower 48 states.

Many ranchers have been forced to bring their animals to market earlier than usual because they cannot afford the rising price of grain, thus cutting into the market value of their animals.

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