Members of Congress push for aid for ranchers

WASHINGTON (AP) — Several members of Congress are pressing the U.S. agriculture secretary to expedite a provision in the new farm bill that helps ranchers in the Dakotas and Nebraska recover from an October blizzard.

The nearly $100 billion-a-year federal farm bill, which awaits President Barack Obama’s signature, restarts a livestock disaster program that had expired. Members of the South Dakota and North Dakota delegations were among those urging Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack in a letter to make sure there are no delays getting the relief money to ranchers.