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Program Description

The Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) offers payments to eligible livestock producers with eligible livestock. You must also be a producer of grazed forage crop acreage.

The payments help producers with grazing losses suffered on native or improved pastureland due to a qualifying drought. This can be land with eligible permanent or planted grazing cover.

LFP also provides for livestock producers on rangeland managed by a federal agency, if the agency halts grazing on the land due to a qualifying fire.

For grazing losses due to drought, the Farm Service Agency (FSA) will calculate payments equal to 1, 3, 4 or 5 times the LFP monthly payment rate. The payment rate for drought is equal to 60% of the lessor of the monthly feed cost for all covered livestock or the normal carrying capacity of the eligible grazing land.

For grazing losses due to fire on federally managed lands, the payment begins on the first day the permitted livestock are stopped from grazing the eligible rangeland. It ends on the earlier of the last day of the federal lease of the eligible livestock producer or 180 days from the first day the livestock were stopped from grazing.

The payment rate is 50% of the monthly feed cost for the number of days the producer is stopped from grazing the federally managed rangeland because of a qualifying fire, not to exceed 180 days.

General Program Requirements

We calculate LFP payments for drought based on the U.S. Drought Monitor rating for your county. If you suffered losses due to a qualifying drought on eligible grazing or pastureland you own or lease, you may qualify for assistance.

The livestock that would normally graze your land may include:

  • Beef and Dairy cattle
  • Beefalo, Buffalo, Bison
  • Deer, Elk, Reindeer
  • Alpacas, Llamas, Emus
  • Equine, Goats, Sheep

As a livestock producer you must:

  • Own, cash or share lease, or be a contract grower of livestock during the 60 days before the beginning date of a qualifying drought or fire.
  • Provide pastureland or grazing land for livestock, including cash-rented land, as of the date of the qualifying drought or fire. These events must be either of the following:
    1. Physically located in an eligible county, or
    2. Managed by a federal agency that has stopped you from grazing because of fire.
  • Certify that you have suffered a grazing loss because of qualifying drought or fire.
  • File a timely acreage report for your loss claim.

Application Process

You must apply for payment and submit required supporting documents to your local FSA office within 30 days after the end of calendar year the grazing loss occurred.

There is a payment limitation of $125,000 per program year per person or legal entity. If you have an average AGI of more than $900,000 that applies, you are not eligible for LPF payments. Legal entities exclude joint ventures and general partnerships.

Other terms and conditions may apply.

View the LFP page to get full details and eligibility requirements.

Last Updated: 05/02/2023