NATION — Agricultural producers who have lost livestock to disease resulting from a weather disaster now have an additional way to become eligible for a key U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) disaster assistance program. In the event of disease, this change by USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) authorizes local FSA county committees to accept veterinarian certifications that livestock deaths were directly related to adverse weather and unpreventable through good animal husbandry and management. The committees may then use this certification to allow eligibility for producers on a case-by-case basis for the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP).

LIP provides benefits to agricultural producers for livestock deaths in excess of normal mortality caused by adverse weather or disease. Eligible weather events include earthquakes, hail, tornadoes, hurricanes, storms, blizzards and flooding. Producers interested in LIP or other USDA disaster assistance programs should contact their local USDA service center.