Livestock Disaster Assistance Sign-up Begins April 15
Producers may begin signing-up for USDA’s livestock disaster assistance programs beginning tomorrow, April 15. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack said, “These programs will provide long-awaited disaster relief for many livestock producers who have endured significant financial hardship from weather-related disasters while the programs were expired and awaiting Congressional action.”
Two major programs for livestock producers are the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) and the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP).
These programs will provide payments to eligible producers for livestock deaths and grazing losses that have occurred since the expiration of the livestock disaster assistance programs in 2011, and including calendar years 2012, 2013, and 2014. According to USDA:
LIP provides compensation to eligible livestock producers that have suffered livestock death losses in excess of normal mortality due to adverse weather. Eligible livestock includes beef cattle, dairy cattle, bison, poultry, sheep, swine, horses, and other livestock as determined by the Secretary.
LFP provides compensation to eligible livestock producers that have suffered grazing losses due to drought or fire on publicly managed land. An eligible livestock producer must own, cash lease, or be a contract grower of eligible livestock during the 60 calendar days before the beginning date of the qualifying drought or fire in a county that is rated by the U.S. Drought Monitor as D2, D3, or D4.
These programs were reauthorized in the 2014 farm bill.
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