New disaster programs

USDA Announces Implementation of Livestock Disaster Assistance Programs

By: Nick Jakusz Posted at: 10/01/2009 09:27 AM


LINCOLN, NE (September 30, 2009) - State Executive Director, Dan Steinkruger announced that producers may begin applying for benefits under the provisions of the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP) at their county FSA office. This permanent disaster program as authorized in the 2008 Farm Bill replaced previous ad-hoc disaster assistance programs and is funded through the Agricultural Disaster Relief Trust Fund.

ELAP provides emergency assistance to eligible producers of livestock, honeybees and farm-raised fish that have grazing or feed losses due to insects, adverse weather such as blizzards, tornados, freeze, hail, wildfires, flooding, and colony collapse disorder for honey bees or death loss of farm-raised fish due to contaminated water or excessive heat. ELAP assistance is for losses not covered under other Supplemental Agricultural Disaster Assistance programs established by the 2008 Farm Bill, specifically the Livestock Forage Program (LFP), the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP), and the Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments Program (SURE). ELAP is being implemented to fill in the gap and provide assistance under other conditions determined to be appropriate and funding is limited to 50 million dollars each year so payments may be prorated.

Eligible livestock under ELAP include beef cattle, alpacas, buffalo, beefalo, dairy cattle, deer, elk, emus, equine, goats, llamas, poultry, reindeer, sheep and swine. Physical losses based on actual replacement cost will be considered for honey bees, the hives, and farm raised fish with the exception of catfish.

Producers who suffered losses in calendar year 2008 must provide a notice of loss and application for payment along with supporting documentation to their administrative county office no later than December 10, 2009. Producers who suffered eligible losses between January 1, 2009 and September 10, 2009 must provide a notice of loss no later than December 10, 2009, and an application for payment no later than January 30, 2010. Late filed applications will not be accepted.

For the ELAP program, producers must have suffered losses that occurred on or after Jan. 1, 2008, and before Oct. 1, 2011. There is a total $100,000 limitation per crop year that applies to payments received under ELAP, LFP, LIP or SURE.

For more information or to apply for ELAP and other USDA Farm Service Agency disaster assistance programs, please visit your FSA county office or www.fsa.usda.gov.