Livestock producers invited to important Farm Service Agency meeting in Bryan

USDA Texas Farm Service Agency (FSA) Executive Director Judith A. Canales invites livestock producers to attend a meeting hosted by Producers Cooperative to discuss the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) which compensates eligible producers for grazing losses due to qualifying drought retroactive to 2011.
The meeting is on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2014, 11:00 a.m., at Producers Cooperative located at 1800 N. Texas Ave. in Bryan. The workshop will focus specifically on programs of interest to livestock producers as well as touch on other Farm Bill programs. The workshop is free and open to the general public.
“Livestock producers who endured drought conditions for the last three years no longer have to wait for assistance,” said Canales. “All interested livestock producers, regardless of operation size, location or type should join us to learn more about available USDA drought recovery benefits.”
Canales and Texas FSA state office program specialists will discuss LFP eligibility requirements and the application process. LFP payments will be made to eligible producers for grazing losses that have occurred since the expiration of the livestock disaster assistance programs in 2011, and includes part of calendar year 2011 as well as calendar years 2012, 2013 and 2014. Producers have until Jan. 30, 2015, to sign up for LFP in their local FSA office but are encouraged to begin the process as soon as possible.
According to Canales, producers who were forced to liquidate all or some of their livestock may still be eligible for LFP benefits and are encouraged to attend the meeting.
Eligible livestock includes alpacas, beef cattle, buffalo, beefalo, dairy cattle, deer, elk, emus, equine, goats, llamas, poultry, reindeer, sheep or swine that have been or would have been grazing the eligible grazing land or pastureland.
For more information about the meeting, please contact Brenda Carlson at 979-680-5213.
Persons with disabilities who require accommodations to attend or participate in this meeting should contact the Texas FSA Federal Relay Service at 1-877-387-2001 by Sept. 3, 2014.
Source: USDA Farm Service Agency