Farmers and ranchers can sign up for livestock disaster assistance programs that were reestablished and strengthened by the 2014 Farm Bill starting April 15, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture news release.
Eligible farmers and ranchers will receive payments for livestock deaths and grazing losses through the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) and the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP). The programs are retroactive, providing payments since the expiration of the livestock disaster assistance programs in 2011, including calendar years 2012, 2013 and 2014.
Enrollment also begins on April 15 for farmers with losses covered by the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP) and the Tree Assistance Program (TAP).
To expedite applications, farmers and ranchers who experienced losses are encouraged to gather documentation of these losses and submit them to the local Farm Service Agency office.
More information about program enrollment is available here. The 2014 Farm Bill fact sheet and the ELAP and TAP fact sheets also have information available.