Livestock producers impacted by severe weather could be eligible for disaster relief funds, under an expanded United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) disaster assistance program.
Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services (FFAS) Bill Northey last week announced a nationwide, administrative clarification to the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP). Iowa Farm Service Agency (FSA) Director Amanda De Jong says the clarification provides additional coverage for diseases brought on by severe weather.
?Normally, if there was an adverse weather event that would caused death, a producer could come in and report to their county office. What this does though is adds this other element of disease,? De Jong said. ?We?ve paid on disease in the past, on things like Anthrax. It hasn?t been on things like Pneumonia or Blackleg. These are going to be diseases that are likely eligible, if they were caused by an adverse weather event.?
The clarification authorizes local Farm Service Agency county committees to accept veterinarian certifications, stating livestock deaths were the direct result of adverse weather and unpreventable through good animal husbandry. County committees can then issue LIP payments on a case-by-case basis.
