Livestock disaster assistance programs

A few weeks ago, the Hot Springs/Washakie County Farm Service Agency (FSA) conducted a presentation at Hot Springs County Library regarding livestock disaster assistance programs that are available to local agriculture producers through the USDA.

Among the programs is the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP). The 2014 Farm Bill authorized LFP to provide compensation to eligible livestock producers who have suffered grazing losses for covered livestock on land that is native or improved pastureland with permanent vegetative cover or is planted specifically for grazing.

The grazing losses must be due to a qualifying drought condition during the normal grazing period for the county. Also, LFP provides compensation to eligible livestock producers who have suffered grazing losses on rangeland managed by a federal agency if the eligible livestock producer is prohibited by the federal agency from grazing the normal permitted livestock on the managed rangeland due to a qualifying fire.

Grazing losses must have occurred on or after Oct. 1, 2011.

Information on the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) was also presented. Under the 2014 Farm Bill, LIP was authorized to provide benefits to eligible livestock owners or contract growers for livestock deaths in excess of normal mortality caused by eligible loss conditions, including eligible adverse weather, eligible disease and eligible attacks.

The occurrence of an eligible loss condition in and by itself is not determinative for eligible livestock losses. The livestock owner or contract grower must provide evidence acceptable to FSA that the eligible cause of loss not only occurred but directly caused loss or death.

Rates for contract growers of poultry or swine will not exceed the rates for owners but are based on 75 percent of national average input costs for the applicable livestock.

Another program presented is Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP).

Also under the 2014 Farm Bill, up to $20 million of Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) funds each fiscal year for the Emergency Assistance was authorized for ELAP, provides financial assistance to eligible producers of livestock, honeybees and farm-raised fish for losses due to disease, certain adverse weather events or loss conditions, including blizzards and wildfires, as determined by the Secretary. ELAP assistance is provided for losses not covered by other disaster assistance programs authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill, such as losses not covered by LFP and LIP.

Regarding crop specific programs, the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP), reauthorized by the 2014 Farm Bill and administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA), provides financial assistance to producers of non-insurable crops to protect against natural disasters that result in lower yields or crop losses, or prevents crop planting.

Further information regarding the programs, including eligibility, is available online at http://www.fsa.usda.gov and clicking on Disaster Assistance Programs under the Programs and Services menu.