USDA today announced on May 29 that ranchers and livestock producers in impacted Texas counties may be eligible for assistance through the 2018 Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP).
Many Texas counties recently met qualifying drought ratings and may be eligible for LFP compensation for grazing losses for covered livestock on land that is in native or improved pastureland with permanent vegetative cover or certain crops planted specifically for grazing.
Qualifying drought ratings for this USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) program are determined using the U.S. Drought Monitor located at http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/.
Eligible livestock include alpacas, beef cattle, buffalo, beefalo, dairy cattle, deer, elk, emus, equine, goats, llamas, reindeer, or sheep that have been or would have been grazing the eligible acres during the normal grazing period.
Long Season Small Grains (67 Counties):
| Archer | Cochran | Garza | Kent | Motley | Throckmorton |
| Armstrong | Collingsworth | Gray | King | Ochiltree | Titus |
| Bailey | Coryell | Hale | Knox | Oldham | Wheeler |
| Baylor | Cottle | Hall | Lamar | Parmer | Wichita |
| Bell | Crosby | Hansford | Lamb | Potter | Wilbarger |
| Bosque | Dallam | Hardeman | Lipscomb | Randall | Williamson |
| Bowie | Deaf Smith | Harrison | Lubbock | Red River | Yoakum |
| Briscoe | Dickens | Hartley | Lynn | Roberts | |
| Carson | Donley | Haskell | McLennan | Sherman | |
| Cass | Falls | Hemphill | Marion | Stonewall | |
| Castro | Floyd | Hockley | Moore | Swisher | |
| Childress | Foard | Hutchinson | Morris | Terry |
Short Season Small Grains (60 Counties):
| Archer | Cochran | Garza | Hockley | Marion | Roberts |
| Armstrong | Collingsworth | Gray | Hutchinson | Moore | Sherman |
| Bailey | Cottle | Hale | Kent | Morris | Stonewall |
| Baylor | Crosby | Hall | King | Motley | Swisher |
| Bowie | Dallam | Hansford | Knox | Ochiltree | Terry |
| Briscoe | Deaf Smith | Hardeman | Lamar | Oldham | Titus |
| Carson | Dickens | Harrison | Lamb | Parmer | Wheeler |
| Cass | Donley | Hartley | Lipscomb | Potter | Wichita |
| Castro | Floyd | Haskell | Lubbock | Randall | Wilbarger |
| Childress | Foard | Hemphill | Lynn | Red River | Yoakum |
Full Season Improved, Native Pasture (59 Counties):
| Archer | Cochran | Floyd | Hemphill | McLennan | Stonewall |
| Armstrong | Collingsworth | Foard | Hockley | Moore | Swisher |
| Bailey | Coryell | Garza | Hutchinson | Motley | Terry |
| Baylor | Cottle | Gray | Kent | Ochiltree | Throckmorton |
| Bell | Crosby | Hale | King | Oldham | Wheeler |
| Bosque | Dallam | Hall | Knox | Parmer | Wichita |
| Briscoe | Deaf Smith | Hansford | Lamb | Potter | Wilbarger |
| Carson | Dickens | Hardeman | Lipscomb | Randall | Williamson |
| Castro | Donley | Hartley | Lubbock | Roberts | Yoakum |
| Childress | Falls | Haskell | Lynn | Sherman |
Annual Ryegrass (30 Counties):
| Baylor | Cottle | Foard | Hardeman | Knox | Terry |
| Briscoe | Crosby | Garza | Haskell | Lubbock | Wheeler |
| Childress | Dickens | Gray | Hockley | Lynn | Wichita |
| Cochran | Donley | Hale | Kent | Motley | Wilbarger |
| Collingsworth | Floyd | Hall | King | Stonewall | Yoakum |
Applications are required for 2018 losses. To expedite applications, producers who experienced losses in 2018 are encouraged to collect records documenting their losses. Supporting documents may include information related to grazing leases, federal grazing permits, contract grower agreements, and more.
“We encourage producers to contact their county office and make an appointment to learn more about applying for LFP and related program requirements,” said Gary Six, FSA state executive director in Texas.
FSA disaster assistance program information can also be found online at disaster.fsa.usda.gov. To apply for LFP, contact your local USDA service center.
Source: https://www.fsa.usda.gov/state-offices/Texas/texas-news-releases/2018/stnr_tx_20180329_rel_01