The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency issued final Emergency Livestock Relief Program (ELRP) payments for losses ranchers faced in 2023 and 2024 due to drought, flooding and wildfire.
The agency has issued more than $1.89 billion through ELRP.
ELRP is separated into two sub-programs. ELRP Drought and Wildfire covers drought- and wildfire-related grazing losses, and ELRP Flood and Wildfire helps cover increased feed costs from floods or wildfires on non-federal land.
Both programs have a combined payment limit of $125,000 for each program year.
Eligible applicants who applied for ELRP 2023 and 2024 Flood and Wildfire (2024 FW) assistance will receive 100% of their eligible calculated payment in a single lump sum. USDA is also making a second payment to ranchers who previously received their initial factored payment for ELRP 2023 and 2024 assistance for losses due to eligible drought and wildfires.
“Livestock operations across the country were disrupted in 2023 and 2024 by catastrophic floods, drought, wildfires and poor forage conditions. President Trump has ensured our farmers, ranchers and producers have the tools and assistance necessary to continue their operations after they were impacted at no fault of their own,” U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said. “If the men and women who feed America cannot continue their operations, then our national security is at risk. We are working every day to ensure America’s food supply remains safe, stable and secure.”
ELRP Drought and Wildfire (Wildfire Losses on Federally Managed Lands)
Livestock producers previously received an initial payment for drought and wildfire assistance that was factored by 35% to ensure payments did not exceed available funding.
Now, FSA has issued an automatic second payment to eligible producers who received an initial payment for drought and wildfire losses. The second payment is equal to 8.2% of the eligible producer’s 2023 or 2024 Livestock Forage Disaster program gross calculated payment, making the final payment factor 43.2% and total assistance provided more than $1.289 billion.
ELRP Flood and Wildfire (Wildfire Losses on Non-Federally Managed Lands)
After assessing ELRP 2023 and 2024 FW applications, FSA determined that a payment factor is not needed. Producers with approved ELRP 2023 and 2024 FW applications are receiving 100% of their calculated payment in a single lump sum, totaling $604 million in recovery assistance.
“Due to the program demand for drought and wildfire assistance, initial payments were factored to ensure total program payments did not exceed available funding,” Rollins said. “Additional funds remain, so we are delivering on our Farmers First commitment to livestock producers and issuing a second payment in addition to making a full payment, with no factor, to eligible producers who applied for flood and wildfire recovery assistance.”
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