The Farm Service Agency, a division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), has announced emergency programs to assist eligible producers who have suffered livestock deaths in excess of normal mortality due to the season’s adverse weather including blizzards, floods, wildfires, extreme heat and extreme cold. The program will also cover livestock losses due to disease and attacks by animals reintroduced into the wild from federal programs.
For 2019 livestock losses, eligible livestock owners must file a notice within 30 calendar days of when the loss is first apparent. Participants have 90 calendar days after the end of the calendar year to provide the following supporting documentation to their local FSA office:
- Proof of death documentation
- Copy of growers contracts
- Proof of normal mortality documentation
The USDA has established normal mortality rates for each type and weight range of eligible livestock, i.e. adult beef cow = 1.5 percent and non-adult beef cattle (less than 400 pounds) = three percent. These established percentages reflect losses that are considered expected or typical under “normal” conditions.
In addition to filing a notice of loss, producers must also submit an application for payment by March 1, 2020. Additional information about LIP is available at the local FSA office or online at www.fsa.usda.gov.
There is a separate emergency assistance program for livestock, honeybee and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP). ELAP provides emergency assistance to eligible livestock, honeybee and farm-raised fish producers who have losses due to disease, adverse weather or other conditions, such as blizzards and wildfires, not covered by other agricultural disaster assistance programs. To be eligible for this program, the losses must have occurred between Oct. 1, 2018, to Sept. 30, 2019, and applications must be submitted by Nov. 1.
To view the ELAP Livestock Fact Sheet, follow this link:
To view these and other FSA program fact sheets, visit the FSA fact sheet web page at www.fsa.usda.gov/factsheets.
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