Baton Rouge, LA - The United States Department of
Agriculture announced on April
4th, 2014 that farmers and ranchers can sign-up for
disaster assistance programs, re-established and strengthened by the 2014 Farm
Bill, beginning Tuesday, April 15, 2014. Quick implementation of the programs
has been a top priority for USDA.
"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," said Agriculture
Secretary Tom Vilsack. "President Obama and I prioritized the
implementation of these disaster assistance programs now that the Farm Bill has
restored and strengthened them."
The Livestock
Indemnity Program (LIP) and the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) 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.
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 (TAP).
- LIP: Livestock Indemnity Program 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: Livestock Forage Disaster Program 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.
- ELAP: Emergency Assistance for Livestock,
Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program provides emergency assistance
to eligible producers of livestock, honeybees and farm-raised fish that
have losses due to disease, adverse weather, or other conditions, such as
blizzards and wildfires, as determined by the Secretary of Agriculture.
- TAP: Tree Assistance Program for Orchardists and Nursery Tree Growers provides financial assistance to qualifying orchardists and nursery tree growers to replant or rehabilitate eligible trees, bushes and vines damaged by natural disasters.
To expedite
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.
For more information,
producers may review the 2014 Farm Bill Fact Sheet,
ELAP and TAP fact sheets online, or visit
any local FSA office or USDA Service Center.
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Contact:
Bridget Udoh
(225) 771-5714
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