Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
FORT SUMNER — The De Baca County Commission has issued a drought emergency request in an effort to bring attention to the struggles of drought-stricken county ranchers.
In a unanimous vote, the commission approved a letter to be sent to various public officials connected to the weekly development of the U.S. Drought Monitor. The Drought Monitor is one of the major factors used by the federal government to determine when the federal Livestock Forage Program is initiated.
The vote came a week after the commission heard from Yeso-area ranchers Lewis Hisel and Charlie Overton concerning efforts to get support from governmental bodies for the downgrade of the county’s drought status from D2 to D3.
That status change to D3 occurred on July 15 for a portion of De Baca County, although much of the rest of the county, as well as huge swaths of Guadalupe and Chaves counties, remain in D2 status.
Each status makes area ranchers eligible for an additional level of assistance under the Livestock Forage Program.
The letter calls pasture conditions in De Baca and adjacent counties “dire” and recognizes the impact of the ranching community on the county’s economy and entities such as the De Baca Family Practice Clinic and Fort Sumner Schools.
Commissioner Scot Stinnett said he has contacted representatives of the Guadalupe and Chaves county commissions to inform them about De Baca County’s efforts to call attention to the situation.
