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 tri-state area. The application deadline is Aug. 31, 2017.

Ag Community Relief is organizing a large hay donation convoy to North Dakota later this month. The first hay drawing will be in early September. More drawings will be held as donations allow.