Texas livestock producers should contact their local Farm Service Agency office immediately if they have livestock, forage or feed losses from drought in 2015 or from the recent winter storm Goliath.

Assistance is available through three disaster programs included in the Agriculture Act of 2014—the Livestock Forage Program (LFP), the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) and the Emergency Livestock Assistance Program (ELAP).

Farmers who think they may qualify for LFP assistance need to hurry.

Texas State FSA Director Judith Canales told the TFB Radio Network the deadline is Feb. 1 and there were 174 counties in Texas with drought-related losses in 2015.

“The main thing to be able to determine if you are in one of those counties is to contact your local Farm Service Agency office immediately to get that information,” Canales said. “If you are in one of those counties, you may be eligible for the Livestock Forage Program, which allows for eligible livestock producers who suffered grazing losses for covered livestock due to drought to be eligible for LFP benefits on small grain, native pasture, improved pasture, annual rye grass and forage sorghum.”

The winter storm Goliath that hit the Texas Panhandle during a week-long stretch from Dec. 26, 2015 to Jan. 1, 2016 also resulted in heavy livestock loss. Deadline to file for assistance under the Livestock Indemnity Program is not as pressing, she says, but is getting close to the 30-day reporting time.

Heavy losses to dairy cattle, stocker cattle and cow-calf operations have been reported across the Texas Panhandle and into Eastern New Mexico.

“It’s important for producers who are in the Panhandle region who have experienced losses as a basis of winter storm Goliath to contact their local Farm Service Agency office. Make that notice of loss report to the FSA office, make your appointment and bring in your documentation so that you can make an application for potential benefits,” Canales said.

Livestock producers also may qualify for assistance from the Emergency Livestock Assistance Program (ELAP), which covers feed losses or water shortages due to disaster. Mechanically harvested feed losses also qualify.