September 16, 2014

USDA urges livestock producers to secure financial assistance before pay reductions occur

US livestock producers, who have suffered disaster related losses, are called upon by the USDA to secure financial assistant by September 30, 2014.

After that date, congressionally-mandated payment reductions will take place.

The Budget Control Act, passed by Congress in 2011, requires USDA to implement reductions of 7.3% to the Livestock Forage Disaster Programme (LFP) in the new fiscal year, which begins October 1.

The LFP compensates eligible livestock producers who suffered grazing losses due to drought or fire between October 1, 2011 and December 31, 2014. Eligible livestock includes beef and dairy cattle, buffalo, poultry, sheep or swine.

Producers, who have scheduled appointments with local Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices before the date, will not see reductions in the monetary amount of disaster relief received.

Said agriculture secretary, Tom Vilsack, "In just four months, since disaster assistance enrollments began, we've processed 240,000 applications to help farmers and ranchers who suffered losses."