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 compensation to eligible livestock producers that have suffered grazing losses on rangeland managed by a federal agency if the eligible livestock producer is prohibited by the federal agency from grazing the normal permitted livestock on the managed rangeland due to a qualifying fire.

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.

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.