Livestock Forage Disaster Program

LFP provides compensation to eligible livestock producers that have suffered grazing losses for covered livestock on land that is native or improved pastureland with permanent vegetative cover or is planted specifically for grazing. It also provides

LFP provides compensation to eligible livestock producers that have suffered grazing losses due to drought or fire for covered livestock on land that is native or improved pastureland with permanent vegetative cover or is planted specifically for grazing. Fire losses must occur on rangeland managed by a federal agency.

To be eligible for benefits, an individual or legal entity must be a citizen of the United States (U.S.); Resident alien; Partnership of citizens of the U.S.; or Corporation, limited liability corporation, Indian tribe or tribal organization, as defined in the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304), or other farm organization structure organized under State law. An eligible livestock producer must own, cash or share lease, or be a contract grower of covered livestock during the 60 calendar days before the beginning date of a qualifying drought or fire; provide pastureland or grazing land for covered livestock, including cash-rented pastureland or grazing land that is either physically located in a country affected by a qualifying drought during the normal grazing period for the county, or rangeland managed by a federal agency and the eligible livestock producer is prohibited from grazing the normally permitted livestock because of a qualifying fire.

The eligible livestock or contract owner will receive the ultimate benefit from LFP.

LFP is a permanent program and provides retroactive authority to cover eligible losses back to October 1, 2011.

There are no restrictions placed on the time permitted to spend the funds awarded.

Payment calculations for grazing losses because of a qualifying drought are equal to 1, 3, 4, or 5 times the LFP monthly payment rate. The monthly payment rate for drought is equal to 60 percent of the lesser of the monthly feed cost for all covered livestock owned or leased by the producer; or calculated by using the normal carrying capacity of the eligible grazing land of the producer. Total payments to a producer in a calendar year for grazing losses will not exceed five monthly payments for the same covered livestock. For losses suffered because of a qualifying fire on federally managed rangeland for which the producer is prohibited from grazing the normal permitted livestock, the payments begin on the first day the Federal agency excludes the eligible livestock producer from using the managed grazing land for grazing and end on the last day of the Federal lease not to exceed 180 days.

Appeal regulations set forth in parts 11 and 780 of 7 CFR apply to determinations made under LFP.