Alva Review-Courier -

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A hay donation lottery program set up in North Dakota to help drought-stricken ranchers is being expanded to producers in South Dakota and Montana.

The effort was launched last week by North Dakota's Agriculture Department , North Dakota State University and the Michigan-based nonprofit Ag Community Relief. Officials set up a site near the NDSU campus to accept hay donations that will be doled out to needy producers through a lottery process.

North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring on Tuesday said the lottery will be opened to ranchers throughout the tristate...