By Margot Higgins Federal subsidies protect many ranchers who operate on shoestring budgets, the American Farm Bureau says.
Many conservationists think so.
When natural disasters strike, ranchers become eligible for livestock assistance funds. The USDA defines such disasters as drought, disease, insect infestation, flood, fire, severe storms and earthquakes. To qualify for funding, ranchers must suffer a 40 percent or greater loss of grazing for three consecutive months during the calendar year. According to the American Farm Bureau , federal subsidies protect many ranchers that operate on shoestring budgets. But conservation groups have long claimed that livestock grazing comes at an enormous cost to the natural environment and the endangered species that depend on it.