FSA Andy for May 7, 2009

Hello Again!

Planting season has begun and farmers are trying to get crops in the ground between all the rains we have been getting lately.

Even though we are rushing around to make sure crops are getting planted on the farm and trying to get signed up for DCP and/or ACRE in the office, I wanted to remind producers about the new suite of disaster programs that the 2008 farm bill established, especially emergency livestock assistance.

The new farm bill established three emergency livestock programs including the livestock forage disaster program, emergency assistance for livestock, honey bees and farm-raised fish and the livestock indemnity program.

FSA recently announced livestock producers who have incurred eligible 2008 and/or 2009 eligible livestock death losses due to adverse weather events should begin to compile their livestock death loss documentation.

The livestock indemnity program provides compensation to eligible livestock producers who have incurred livestock death losses in excess of normal mortality on or after Jan. 1, 2008, and before Oct. 1, 2011.

Losses because of adverse weather, as determined by the secretary during the calendar year, including blizzards, disease, extreme cold, extreme heat, floods, hurricanes and wildfires, are eligible for the program.

To be eligible for assistance, each livestock producer must provide verifiable documentation of loss. Records must be provided that proves the death of eligible livestock occurred as a direct result of an eligible adverse weather event in the calendar year for which benefits are being requested.

Some examples of verifiable documentation include:

– Bank or other loan documents

– Records assembled for tax purposes

– Private insurance documents

– Property tax records

– Rendering truck receipts

– Written contracts

– FEMA records

– National Guard records

– Production records

– Purchase records

– Veterinarian records.

For more information about the livestock indemnity program or any other above mentioned programs, contact your local FSA office.

That’s all for now,

FSA Andy