Farmers and ranchers can begin signing up for disaster assistance programs on Tuesday, April 15, the U.S. Department of Department officially announced today.
The programs were reestablished under the federal farm bill approved earlier this year.
"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," Agriculture Secretary Tom said in a statement.
The Livestock Indemnity Program and the Livestock Forage Disaster Program 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, USDA says.
Enrollment also begins on April 15 for producers with losses covered by the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP) and the Tree Assistance Program.
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LIP provides compensation to eligible livestock producers who have suffered livestock death losses in excess of normal mortality as a result of adverse weather. Eligible livestock includes beef cattle, dairy cattle, bison, poultry, sheep, swine, horses and other livestock as determined by Vilsack.
To speed up applications, all producers who experienced losses are encouraged to collect records documenting these losses in preparation for the enrollment in these disaster assistance programs. Information on the types of records necessary can be provided by local FSA county offices. Producers also are encouraged to contact their county office ahead of time to schedule an appointment.
More information: www.fsa.usda.gov/Internet/FSA_File/2014_farm_bill_customers.pdf . or any local FSA office or USDA Service Center.
