Livestock Indemnity Program

Photo from agweb.com

Being a livestock producer is never easy.  It is 7 days week, 365 days a year.  There are no sick days or vacation days, and unfortunately there are no snow days either.  Livestock producers must brave the elements on a daily basis to feed, water and check their livestock, even when there is 8 inch of snow on the ground.  

While several of us were able to enjoy the snow days from the convenience of our warm homes, our cattle, swine, poultry, sheep, goat and horse farmers were out in it every day taking care of their animals.  And some of those farmers were not only dealing with frigid temperatures, but also trying to deal with the birth of new animals on their farms in 8 inches of snow, ice and freezing temperatures; not exactly your ideal situation.  Unfortunately some also dealt with an increase in mortality rates due to Mother Nature.

The Agricultural Act of 2014 authorized the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) to provide benefits to livestock producers for livestock deaths in excess of normal mortality caused by adverse weather.  LIP pay¬ments are equal to 75 percent of the market value of the applicable livestock on the day before the date of death of the livestock as determined by the Secretary. 

To be eligible for LIP, a livestock producer must have legally owned the eligible livestock on the day the livestock died.  To be eligible for LIP, an owner’s livestock must: 

(1)Have died as a direct result of an eligible ad¬verse weather event occurring,

(2) Have been maintained for commercial use as part of a farming operation on the day they died, (3) Not have been produced for reasons other than commercial use as part of a farming operation. Excluded livestock includes wild free roaming animals, pets or animals used for recreational purposes, such as hunting, roping or for show.

To apply for LIP benefits producers must submit a notice of loss and an application for payment to the local FSA office.  The notice of loss be must be submitted within 30 calendar days of loss of livestock.  Livestock owners should record all pertinent information of livestock death losses due to adverse weather.  Applicants must provide adequate proof that the eligible livestock deaths occurred as a direct result of an eligible adverse weather event.  Documentation of the number and kind of livestock that died is required, supplemented (if possible) by such as items as: 

(1) Photographs or video records to document the loss (dated is possible),

(2) Purchase records,

(3) Veterinarian records,

(4) Production records,

(5) Federal Emergency Management Agency records,

(6) Bank or other loan documents,

(7) Written contracts, 

(8) Private insurance documents,

(9) Other similar reliable documents.

For more information about the Livestock Indemnity Program please contact the FSA Office at (270)273-3922 or the McLean County Cooperative Extension Office at (270)273-3690.  Educational programs of the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of race, color, age, sex, religion, disability or national origin.

Upcoming Ag Events

March 5th Forages & Grazing Meeting, 5pm-8pm, Extension Office

March 6th Round Table Series, 8am Pond Management, Dr. Bill Wurts

March 13th Round Table Series, 8am Poultry Litter as Fertilizer, Dr. Edwin Ritchey

March 17th Plant Swap Planning Meeting, 3pm, Extension Office

March 17th Ag Festival Planning Meeting, 5pm, Extension Office

March 24th Farm Market Days Informational Meeting, 4pm, Extension Office

March 24th District Board Meeting, 6pm, Extension Office