Congressman Taylor Introduces Pro-Farmer Bill Improving Drought Monitoring

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Dave Taylor (OH-02) today introduced the Improving Drought Monitoring Act, which will reauthorize the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) “Improvements to the Drought Monitor” program and establish a Drought Monitor Interagency Working Group within it. This new working group would draft a report assessing and recommending tangible ways to improve the availability of consistent, accurate, and reliable data in the Drought Monitor.

This bill is critical for ensuring the U.S. Drought Monitor remains a source of highly accurate and reliable data for farmers and provides accurate eligibility for federal assistance programs in the case of severe drought. With southern Ohio experiencing unusually high temperatures in the past few summer months, farmers are currently experiencing dry conditions and depend on Drought Monitor data now more than ever. Farmers and other businesses additionally use the Drought Monitor to make other business decisions, such as planting, spraying, or cattle management, further highlighting the importance of its accuracy.

“Last year’s devastating drought wiped out months of hard work by Ohio farmers and made it harder for Buckeye families to put food on their tables,” said Congressman Taylor. “Farmers in Ohio and across our Nation trust the U.S. Drought Monitor to contain the most accurate and reliable data, which is exactly why continued improvements to it are essential. I’m proud to be part of the solution to ensure farmers have the accurate data they need to prepare for severe conditions and thrive in our region, and urge Congress to include my bill in the upcoming Farm Bill.”

Established in 1999 as a partnership between the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the USDA, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the U.S. Drought Monitor releases weekly maps that help determine drought relief for multiple USDA programs. The “Improvements to the Drought Monitor” program operated by USDA helps to make improvements in the Drought Monitor, ensuring that farmers have accurate and reliable data, maps, and information about drought impacts in their region.

This program authorizes $5 million of federal funds toward improving drought monitoring services for farmers and requires reauthorization through the Farm Bill. Since this program was extended in last year’s House Farm Bill (Sec. 12406) along with the 2018 Farm Bill, which covered programs between 2019 to 2023, it will expire unless Congress passes another Farm Bill or Farm Bill extension.

Specifically, the Improving Drought Monitoring Act would:

• Reauthorize the “Improvements to the Drought Monitor” program through 2030;
• Establish a Drought Monitor Interagency Working Group to draft a report analyzing and subsequently suggesting ways to improve the availability of consistent, accurate, and reliable data in the Drought Monitor;
• Require the working group to submit recommendations for improvements to appropriate Committees and/or Agencies, directing them to incorporate the recommendations to the largest extent possible, and;
• Require the Farm Service Agency and the Forest Service to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding to better align drought response activities and ensure the best service for American farmers.

The full bill text of the Improving Drought Monitoring Act is available here.