Emergency assistance available for livestock, honeybees and farm-raised fish

Press release

The Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program, or ELAP, provides emergency assistance to eligible livestock, honeybee, and farm-raised fish producers who have losses due to disease, adverse weather or other conditions, such as blizzards and wildfires, not covered by other agricultural disaster assistance programs.

Eligible livestock losses include grazing losses not covered under the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP), additional feed purchases in excess of normal and loss of purchased feed and/or mechanically harvested feed due to an eligible adverse weather event, additional cost of transporting water because of an eligible drought and additional cost associated with gathering livestock to treat for cattle tick fever.

Eligible honeybee losses include loss of purchased feed due to an eligible adverse weather event, cost of additional feed purchased above normal quantities due to an eligible adverse weather condition, colony losses in excess of normal mortality due to an eligible weather event or loss condition, including CCD, and hive losses due to eligible adverse weather.

Eligible farm-raised fish losses include death losses in excess of normal mortality and/or loss of purchased feed due to an eligible adverse weather event.

Producers who suffer eligible livestock, honeybee, or farm-raised fish losses from Oct. 1, 2017 to Sept. 30, 2018 must file:

• A notice of loss the earlier of 30 calendar days of when the loss is apparent or by Nov. 1, 2018

• An application for payment by Nov. 1, 2018

The following ELAP Fact Sheets (by topic) are available online:

• ELAP for Farm-Raised Fish Fact Sheet

• ELAP for Livestock Fact Sheet

• ELAP for Honeybees Fact Sheet

To view these and other FSA program fact sheets, visit the FSA fact sheet web page at http://www.fsa.usda.gov/factsheets.

Ongoing FSA Notice of Loss Requirements

Montana farmers and ranchers are reminded to timely report all crop and livestock losses to your local Farm Service Agency office. For more information and any questions, please contact your local FSA office.

ELAP — Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program: Submit Notice of Loss the earlier of 30 calendar days of when the loss is apparent or Nov. 1 after the end of the program year in which the loss occurred. Examples of ELAP losses include additional feed purchases in excess of normal and loss of damaged or destroyed purchased feed and/or mechanically harvested feed due to an eligible weather event. Producers may also be eligible for costs associated with transporting livestock feed to eligible livestock, including, but not limited to, costs associated with equipment rental fees for hay lifts and snow removal incurred in combination with losses due to additional feed purchases above normal or damaged or destroyed purchased or mechanically harvested forage

LIP — Livestock Indemnity Program: Submit Notice of Loss within 30 calendar days of when the loss is apparent. File an Application for payment and supporting documentation no later than 90 days after the calendar year in which the loss occurred.

NAP — Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program: Submit Notice of Loss within 15 calendar days of the earlier of a natural disaster occurrence, the final planting date if planting is prevented by a natural disaster, the date that damage to the crop or loss of production becomes apparent; or the normal harvest date.

TAP — Tree Assistance Program: Final Date to Submit an Application and Supporting Documentation is the later of 90 calendar days of the disaster event or the date when the loss is apparent

Visit FSA’s national disaster assistance website at: http://www.fsa.usda.gov/programs-and-services/disaster-assistance-program/index and FSA’s program factsheets page at http://www.fsa.usda.gov/news-room/fact-sheets/index.

FSA Disaster Assistance Programs at a Glance Factsheet: https://www.fsa.usda.gov/Assets/USDA-FSA-Public/usdafiles/FactSheets/2017/fsa_disaster_assistance_programs_at_a_glance_oct2017.pdf/.