Applications for the livestock disaster assistance program in the new farm bill will be accepted beginning April 14, as the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) expedites implementations of the program.
“By cutting through some red tape, we were able to expedite this support, so our ranchers have access to the disaster relief we fought so hard to include in the farm bill,” said Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.), who is a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee.
The program is retroactive, allowing ranchers to receive indemnities for losses sustained in 2012 and 2013. According to Agri-Pulse, the USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) will disburse payments on a rolling basis until the backlog of claims is processed.
Eligible ranchers should reach out to the local FSA office to sign up.