The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency provides information on how eligible livestock owners can apply for monetary assistance under the Livestock Forage Disaster Program. More information can be obtained by calling McAlester’s office at 918-423-4073 ext 2.
1. What is the Livestock Fourage Disaster Program?
The Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) provides payments to eligible livestock owners and contract ranchers who have covered livestock, who are also producers of grazed forage crop acreage (native and improved pasture with permanent vegetative cover or certain crops planted specifically for grazing) that have experienced a loss of grazed forage due to allowable drought during the county’s normal grazing period.
The LFP also provides payments to eligible livestock owners or contract ranchers who have livestock covered and who are also producers of grazed forage crop acreage on range lands managed by a federal agency if, the cattle rancher eligible is prohibited by the federal agency from grazing normal licensed livestock. on the developed course due to an eligible fire.
2. Which animals are eligible?
Eligible livestock are grazing animals that satisfy the majority of net energy requirements of nutrition via grazing forage grasses or legumes and include species such as alpacas, beef cattle, buffalo/bison , dairy cattle, deer, elk, emus, horses, goats. , llamas, reindeer or sheep.
3. Who are the eligible producers?
To be eligible for the LFP, individuals or entities must be a U.S. citizen, resident alien, partnership of U.S. citizens, corporation organized under state law, or a Native American tribe or defined tribal organization in the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act. who owns, cashes in or shares a lease, or is a contract raiser of covered livestock during the 60 calendar days prior to the start date of a qualifying drought or fire; Provide pasture or pasture for covered livestock, including pasture or pasture leased in cash on the date of the qualifying drought or fire.
4. How long are payments made and is there a maximum amount?
Total LFP payments to an eligible livestock owner or contract rancher in a calendar year for grazing losses will not exceed five monthly payments for the same type, type and weight range of livestock.
The Farming Improvement Act (Farm Bill 2018) established a maximum annual payment limit per person and legal entity for the LFP (without regard to any other program) of $125,000.
5. Which counties are eligible for assistance?
An eligible livestock owner or contract producer who, as a grazed forage crop producer, owns or leases pasture or pasture physically located in a county classified by the U.S. Drought Monitor as having:
• Intensity D2 (severe drought) in any area of the county for at least eight consecutive weeks during the normal grazing period qualifies for assistance in an amount equal to a monthly payment.
• Intensity D3 (Extreme Drought) in any area of the county at any time during the normal grazing period is eligible to receive assistance in an amount equal to three monthly payments.
• D3 (extreme drought) intensity in any area of the county for at least four weeks during the normal grazing period or is rated D4 (exceptional drought) at any time during the normal grazing period is eligible to receive a aid of an amount equal to four monthly installments.
• D4 (exceptional drought) in a county for four weeks (not necessarily four consecutive weeks) during the normal grazing period is eligible to receive assistance in an amount equal to five monthly payments.
On Wednesday, the US Drought Monitor showed Pittsburg County in the D3 category for three straight weeks.
