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Producers in Allen County are eligible to apply for 2023 Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) benefits on full season improved pasture, forage sorghum, annual ryegrass, and annual crabgrass for grazing. Allen County became eligible for Livestock Forage program by reaching D3 drought level status on April 1, 2023. Allen County has not triggered yet on Native Pasture since the grazing date does not begin until April 16, 2023.
Scheduling an appointment is required.
LFP provides compensation to eligible livestock producers who suffer grazing losses for covered livestock due to drought on privately owned or cash leased land. Eligible livestock are weaned grazing animals such as beef cows or cattle, buffalo/beefalo, dairy cows or cattle, alpacas, deer, elk, emus, equine, goats, llamas, reindeer, or sheep.
Livestock producers must meet several FSA policy requirements before an LFP application can be approved. The first requirement is that producers must have on file a timely acreage report on all grazing land in which they have interest. The deadline to file 2023 perennial grass acreage reports is July 15, 2023. Late-filed acreage reports may be filed up to the next year’s annual reporting date. A fee of $46 per farm is assessed for physical field verification.
In addition to filing a timely acreage report, livestock producers must complete the LFP application on form CCC-853. County Committee will review the application and supporting documentation provided by the livestock producer i.e., pasture/rangeland leases (CCC-855 is applicable if no written lease) and copies of contract grower agreements. Livestock producers will need to provide livestock inventory within 60 days from the beginning of the qualifying drought - February 1, 2023 through April 1, 2023 - for different livestock types and weight categories.
The producer is also required to have on file:
- Form AD-1026, Highly Erodible Land Certification
- Form CCC-902, Farm Operating Plan
- Form CCC-941, Adjusted Gross Income Certification
You must complete a CCC-853 and the required supporting documentation no later than January 30, 2024, for 2023 losses.
For additional information about LFP or to schedule an appointment, contact the Allen County USDA Service Center at 620-365-2901 or visit fsa.usda.gov.
If you’ve incurred additional operating costs for transporting water to livestock due to an eligible drought (triggered on April 1st, 2023 for improved grasses), assistance may be available to you through the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP).
An eligible drought means that part or all of your county is designated D3 (extreme drought) or higher as indicated by the U.S. Drought Monitor.
Eligible livestock must be adult or non-adult dairy cattle, beef cattle, buffalo and beefalo, as well as alpacas, deer, elk, emus, equine, goats, llamas, reindeer, or sheep. Additionally, the livestock must have been owned 60 calendar days prior to the beginning of the drought and be physically located in the county designated as a disaster area due to drought. Adequate livestock watering systems or facilities must have existed before the drought occurred and producers are only eligible if they do not normally transport water to the livestock.
Livestock that were or would have been in a feedlot are not eligible for transporting water. ELAP covers the additional cost of transporting water and does not cover the cost of the water itself.
You must file a notice of loss on form CCC-851 the earlier of 30 calendar days of when the loss is apparent (started hauling water) to you or by Jan. 31, 2024. Additionally, the deadline to submit an application for payment for 2023 ELAP assistance is Jan. 31, 2024.
You’ll have to provide documentation to FSA that shows the method used to transport the water, the number of gallons of water transported and the number of eligible livestock to which water was transported.
To make an appointment to sign up for ELAP and to learn more about eligibility, application and documentation requirements, contact the Allen County USDA Service Center at 620-365-2901 or visit fsa.usda.gov.
If you’ve incurred additional operating costs for transporting feed to livestock due to an eligible drought (triggered on April 1st, 2023 for improved grasses), assistance may be available to you through the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP).
To be considered eligible for losses resulting from transporting livestock feed to eligible livestock:
- The livestock feed must be transported additional mileage above normal mileage the producer typically travels to purchase livestock feed, not to exceed 1,000 miles
- Livestock feed must be transported to eligible livestock that would normally have been on grazing land, physically located in a drought eligible county
- Additional cost of transporting livestock feed must be due to an eligible drought that occurred during the normal grazing period.
Additional cost for transporting livestock feed is eligible under ELAP when livestock feed is transported after the normal grazing period if the beginning date of the eligible drought occurred inside the normal grazing period.
Important: Livestock owners are not eligible for livestock feed transportation for the first 25 miles, per truckload, that livestock feed is transported and empty miles (empty truckloads) that may be travelled to purchase livestock feed.
Producers must self-certify to the number of truckloads of livestock feed hauled and the mileage per truckload hauled, for both current year and normal year.
You must file a notice of loss on form CCC-851 the earlier of 30 calendar days of when the loss is apparent to you (when you start hauling feed) or by Jan. 31, 2024. Additionally, the deadline to submit the application for payment for 2023 ELAP assistance is Jan. 31, 2024.
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