NASHVILLE (AP) - U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced almost $12 million in additional drought aid.

The grant announced Wednesday will help livestock producers in 22 states apply conservation practices that reduce the impacts of drought and improve soil health and productivity.

Since early summer, USDA has announced a variety of assistance to producers impacted by the drought, including opening conservation acres to emergency haying and grazing, lowering the interest rate for emergency loans and working with crop insurance companies to provide flexibility to farmers.

Tennessee farmers have so far received a total of $1,762,300.

The funding through the Natural Resources Conservation Service goes to states that were hit with exceptional or extreme drought conditions, including Tennessee.