WASHINGTON, Feb.
14, 2014 – USDA will expedite implementation of its livestock disaster assistance
program, the Obama administration announced today. The $100 million program,
part of the just-passed 2014 Farm Bill, will begin accepting applications on
April 14.
USDA took more
than a year to implement the Livestock Forage Disaster Program after the last reauthorization
of the farm bill in 2008. The program and its funding expired in October 2011,
meaning producers haven’t received payments for their losses in over two years.
The program will
allow livestock producers to retroactively receive indemnities for losses
sustained in 2012 and 2013. USDA’s Farm Services Agency (FSA) will disburse
payments to producers on a rolling basis, until the backlog of claims is
processed.
The
administration announced the plan to speed up the process today while touting other initiatives to grant some relief for agricultural
producers in California suffering through a historic drought. But its implications will be felt well
beyond California, as livestock managers in the Dakotas – especially those hard
hit by last October’s devastating winter storm – welcomed the news of the
forthcoming payments.
“This is good news for the livestock producers
who suffered back to back grazing and livestock death losses in 2012 and 2013,”
said Sen. John Thune. Just last week, the South Dakota Republican wrote Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to ask the administration
to make the relief program in the Farm Bill “a top priority.”
Sen. Heidi
Heitkamp, D-N.D., also praised USDA’s decision.
“By cutting through some red tape, we were
able to expedite this support, so our ranchers have access to the disaster
relief we fought so hard to include in the Farm Bill,” said Heitkamp, who is a
also a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee.
“Eligible
ranchers should reach out to their local Farm Service Agency office as soon as
possible to sign up for relief,” she said.
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