The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced an extension of the deadline for disaster recovery assistance programs aimed at supporting livestock producers. In response to the significant losses experienced by livestock producers due to natural disasters, the USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA) has provided additional flexibilities and extended the deadline for the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP), Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP), and Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP).
Livestock producers who have suffered losses in feed, forage, and animals as a result of qualifying natural disasters can now submit notices of loss and applications for payment for 2022 losses until June 2. This extension and the program enhancements are available to eligible producers nationwide.
The Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) and Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP) provide reimbursement for the value of livestock and other animals that have died due to natural disasters or for the loss of grazing acres, feed, and forage. The Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) offers benefits for grazing losses caused by qualifying drought or wildfire, with fire losses specifically occurring on federally managed lands. ELAP covers grazing losses not covered under LFP.
Producers have the opportunity to submit 2022 LIP notices of loss and applications for payment until June 2 for all eligible livestock losses that may have occurred in 2022. Producers who did not apply for ELAP assistance in 2022 can also apply until June 2 for hauling livestock, forage, and feedstuffs, or other eligible losses covered by ELAP.
To streamline program access in counties without a 365-day grazing season, the FSA has waived the 30-day time frame for submitting a notice of loss for the 2023 ELAP program year due to qualifying droughts in 2022 or 2023. Producers can now submit a notice of loss as far back as January 1, 2023, for eligible losses in 2022 and 2023 that occur before June 2, 2023.
Livestock producers must provide evidence that livestock deaths were caused by eligible adverse weather events or loss conditions. Supporting evidence such as documentation of the number and type of livestock that died, photographs or video records, purchase records, veterinarian records, and production records should be provided.
To access ELAP, LFP, and LIP benefits, producers should reach out to their local FSA county office. Further information and the option to submit a notice of loss or an application for payment can be found on the USDA's farmers.gov/recover website.
Photo Credit: USDA
Categories: Iowa, General