– USDA today announced that ranchers and livestock producers in impacted Texas counties may be eligible for assistance through the 2018 Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP).

Many Texas counties recently met qualifying drought ratings and may be eligible for LFP compensation for grazing losses for covered livestock on land that is in native or improved pastureland with permanent vegetative cover or certain crops planted specifically for grazing.

Qualifying drought ratings for this USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) program are determined using the U.S. Drought Monitor located at http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/.

Eligible livestock include alpacas, beef cattle, buffalo, beefalo, dairy cattle, deer, elk, emus, equine, goats, llamas, reindeer, or sheep that have been or would have been grazing the eligible acres during the normal grazing period.

Long Season Small Grains (67 Counties)

Archer        
Cochran       
Garza         
Kent          
Motley        
Throckmorton  
Armstrong     
Collingsworth 
Gray          
King          
Ochiltree     
Titus         
Bailey        
Coryell       
Hale          
Knox          
Oldham        
Wheeler       
Baylor        
Cottle        
Hall          
Lamar         
Parmer        
Wichita       
Bell          
Crosby        
Hansford      
Lamb          
Potter        
Wilbarger     
Bosque        
Dallam        
Hardeman      
Lipscomb      
Randall       
Williamson    
Bowie         
Deaf Smith    
Harrison      
Lubbock       
Red River     
Yoakum        
Briscoe       
Dickens       
Hartley       
Lynn          
Roberts       
 
Carson        
Donley        
Haskell       
McLennan      
Sherman       
 
Cass          
Falls         
Hemphill      
Marion        
Stonewall     
 
Castro        
Floyd         
Hockley       
Moore         
Swisher       
 
Childress     
Foard         
Hutchinson    
Morris        
Terry         
 
Short Season Small Grains (60 Counties)

Archer        
Cochran       
Garza         
Hockley       
Marion        
Roberts       
Armstrong     
Collingsworth 
Gray          
Hutchinson    
Moore         
Sherman       
Bailey        
Cottle        
Hale          
Kent          
Morris        
Stonewall     
Baylor        
Crosby        
Hall          
King          
Motley        
Swisher       
Bowie         
Dallam        
Hansford      
Knox          
Ochiltree     
Terry         
Briscoe       
Deaf Smith    
Hardeman      
Lamar         
Oldham        
Titus         
Carson        
Dickens       
Harrison      
Lamb          
Parmer        
Wheeler       
Cass          
Donley        
Hartley       
Lipscomb      
Potter        
Wichita       
Castro        
Floyd         
Haskell       
Lubbock       
Randall       
Wilbarger     
Childress     
Foard         
Hemphill      
Lynn          
Red River     
Yoakum        
-more-

Full Season Improved, Native Pasture (59 Counties):

Archer        
Cochran       
Floyd         
Hemphill      
McLennan      
Stonewall     
Armstrong     
Collingsworth 
Foard         
Hockley       
Moore         
Swisher       
Bailey        
Coryell       
Garza         
Hutchinson    
Motley        
Terry         
Baylor        
Cottle        
Gray          
Kent          
Ochiltree     
Throckmorton  
Bell          
Crosby        
Hale          
King          
Oldham        
Wheeler       
Bosque        
Dallam        
Hall          
Knox          
Parmer        
Wichita       
Briscoe       
Deaf Smith    
Hansford      
Lamb          
Potter        
Wilbarger     
Carson        
Dickens       
Hardeman      
Lipscomb      
Randall       
Williamson    
Castro        
Donley        
Hartley       
Lubbock       
Roberts       
Yoakum        
Childress     
Falls         
Haskell       
Lynn          
Sherman       
 
 

Annual Ryegrass (30 Counties):

Baylor        
Cottle
Foard         
Hardeman      
Knox          
Terry         
Briscoe       
Crosby        
Garza         
Haskell       
Lubbock       
Wheeler       
Childress     
Dickens       
Gray          
Hockley       
Lynn          
Wichita       
Cochran       
Donley        
Hale          
Kent          
Motley        
Wilbarger     
Collingsworth 
Floyd         
Hall          
King          
Stonewall     
Yoakum        
 

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, federal grazing permits, contract grower agreements, and more.

“We encourage producers to contact their county office and make an appointment to learn more about applying for LFP and related program requirements,” said Gary Six, FSA state executive director in Texas.

FSA disaster assistance program information can also be found online at disaster.fsa.usda.gov. To apply for LFP, contact your local USDA service center.

Source: USDA