State Water Commission Approves Additional $2M For Livestock Water Supply Program To Meet Strong Demand

Aug 28, 2026

Gov. Kelly Armstrong and Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring today joined the State Water Commission in announcing an additional $2 million for the Drought Disaster Livestock Water Supply Project Assistance Program, as demand for the program has outstripped the initial $2 million approved last week.

The Commission voted Aug. 18 to activate the program after Armstrong declared a drought disaster for extremely dry conditions across North Dakota. The program provides cost-share assistance on projects including new water wells, rural water system connections, pipeline extensions and pasture taps.

The Department of Water Resources (DWR) received more than 220 applications in just the first week of the program, and funding would have run out today without the Commission’s action, with Lt. Gov. Michelle Strinden chairing the meeting, to double the available cost-share assistance to $4 million. Armstrong also issued an amended executive order today making the program available to livestock producers in all North Dakota counties, rather than only those counties impacted by drought rated D2 (severe) or higher and adjacent counties and tribal nations.

“The intense demand for this water supply program demonstrates just how serious the drought situation is in North Dakota for our livestock producers,” Armstrong said. “This program will not only help more producers through the current drought but also make their operations more resilient against future droughts.”

Source : nd.gov

Video: Season 7, Episode 1: Managing Risk and Seeing Opportunities in U.S. Pork Production

Today’s episode features three guests discussing the similarities and differences between pork production in the United States and Brazil, along with strategies for managing risk in today’s industry while recognizing and acting on opportunities. First, Dr. Anne Caroline de Lara, executive manager of live pig production at Seara Alimentos, a JBS company in Brazil, is joined by Dr. Matthew Turner, head of operations for JBS Live Pork. Together, they discuss how labor, climate and ventilation challenges vary between Brazil and the United States, while underscoring their shared commitment to raising healthy pigs. They also point to lessons producers in both countries can take from one another’s systems and on-farm experiences. Then, Brady Reicks, risk manager at Reicks View Farms, shares his perspective on risk management, drawing from his background in markets and his transition into farming. He discusses how protecting margins varies by operation and offers practical approaches producers can use to make marketing and business decisions with greater confidence rather than hesitation.

Both conversations were recorded at recent industry events focused on swine livability, including the International Conference on Pig Livability and Iowa Swine Day.