The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) Atchison County Executive Director, Corey Lesher, announced July 24, 2018, that ranchers and livestock producers may be eligible for assistance through the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) for grazing losses incurred in 2018.
According to Lesher, Atchison County recently met qualifying drought ratings that trigger eligibility for LFP on improved pasture, native pasture and sorghum forage.
LFP provides compensation to livestock producers who have suffered grazing losses due to drought or fire. For losses due to drought, qualifying drought ratings are determined using the U.S. Drought Monitor located at http://www.drought.unl.edu/dm/monitor.html.
Qualifying fires are those occurring on rangeland managed by a federal agency and the producer is prohibited by the federal agency from grazing the normally permitted livestock on the managed rangeland due to fire.
Eligible livestock include alpacas, beef cattle, buffalo, beefalo, dairy cattle, deer, elk, emus, equine, goats, llamas, poultry, reindeer, sheep, or swine that have been or would have been grazing the eligible grazing land or pastureland during the normal grazing period.
Applications are required for 2018 losses. To expedite applications, producers who experienced losses in 2018 are encouraged to collect records documenting their losses. Supporting documents may include information related to grazing leases or federal grazing permits, contract grower agreements, and more.
“We encourage producers to contact our office for an appointment, and to learn what documentation is required to apply for assistance,” said Lesher.
For more information, contact the Atchison County FSA office at 660-744-5328. Information can also be obtained online at: disaster.fsa.usda.gov.