Last week, Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns announced help for American farmers hurt by lack of rain.(1)___________________________________________.However, the weather has endangered some areas,but left others with enough rain. The Northeast,for example, had sufficient rainfall during the same period.Secretary Johanns spoke with reporters during an interview last Thursday to South Dakota.He said sixty-four percent of beef cows in America are in drought areas.The dry conditions have left little or no grass in many areas where cattle are bred.Farmers who feed their cattle grass for part of the year have had to purchase food or sell some or all of their animals.(2)______________________________________.That money will go to affected states in the form of awards, or grants, and do not have to be repaid.So far the farmers in dry states have been offered awards and grants adding up to seven hundred million dollars.According to the report, the payment will sustain until it covers half the loss of farmers in the dry areas.This aid is part of the Direct and Counter-cyclical Payment Program,which pays farmers an amount based on a set price for their crop and the number of hectares they have.(3)_____________________________________________.This year, Secretary Johanns has moved up payments so that farmers can receive them now instead of later in the year.
