USDA announced this week it will be expediting Emergency Livestock Relief Program (ELRP) payments to cattle producers who suffered losses from drought and wildfire in 2023 and/or 2024. The Farm Service Agency (FSA) will use existing Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) data to streamline payment calculations. Payments automatically will be issued for producers who have an approved LFP application on file for 2023 and/or 2024. No separate application will be required.
The American Relief Act of 2025 provided funds for emergency payments. This program is one of two authorized to assist with eligible losses suffered by livestock producers. FSA will announce additional ELRP assistance for other losses authorized by the act, including flooding, later this summer. FSA expects demand for this first program to be great; therefore, ELRP payments will be factored at 35%. If additional funds remain, FSA may issue a second payment.
The act also authorized $10 billion in economic loss assistance for producers of covered commodities based on 2024 planted and prevented planted acres. To date, USDA has delivered more than $7.7 billion to producers through the Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (ECAP). The ECAP deadline is August 15.
Contact your local FSA office with questions about ELRP or for more information on ECAP.