Eligible livestock producers can now apply for benefits under the provisions of the Livestock Indemnity Program in the 2008 Farm Bill which began on July 13.

"This program will provide livestock producers with a vital safety net to help them overcome the damaging financial impact of natural disasters," says David Drake, acting state executive director for Ohio's Farm Service Agency.

LIP provides assistance to producers for livestock deaths that result from disaster. It compensates livestock owners and contract growers for livestock death losses in excess of normal mortality due to adverse weather, including losses due to hurricanes, floods, blizzards, disease, wildfires, extreme heat and extreme cold. Using funds from the Agricultural Disaster Relief Trust Fund established under section 902 of the Trade Act of 1974, the program is administered by the USDA FSA.   Eligible losses must have occurred on or after Jan. 1, 2008, and before Oct. 1, 2011.

FSA offers the following table to provide the final dates to file a notice of loss and/or application for payment for either 2008 or 2009 livestock losses.
 

Specific provisions for the other supplemental agricultural disaster assistance programs authorized by the 2008 Act - the Livestock Forage Disaster Program, the Supplemental Revenue Assistance Program, the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm-Raised Fish and the Tree Assistance Program - will be implemented through separate rulemakings and announced at a later date.

For more information on available supplemental disaster assistance programs, please visit your FSA county office or http://www.fsa.usda.gov .