Emergency Livestock Relief Program supports producers with LFP records
The USDA has launched the Emergency Livestock Relief Program (ELRP) for 2023 and 2024 to help producers impacted by drought and wildfires.
The program aims to ease financial pressure on livestock owners who suffered feed losses and herd reductions due to extreme weather.
Funded under the American Relief Act, ELRP allocates up to $2 billion for livestock-related losses.
Of this, $1 billion is reserved specifically for producers affected by drought and wildfire. The relief targets those with approved applications under the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP).
Eligible producers do not need to submit new applications. If they filed an approved LFP (Form CCC-853) for 2023 or 2024, they will receive payments automatically.
ELRP uses the same eligibility criteria as LFP, except it removes the adjusted gross income (AGI) limit.
To qualify, producers must have the required forms on file, including CCC-902, CCC-901 (if applicable), AD-1026, and FSA-510 for higher payment limits.
While most recipients will receive a maximum of $125,000, those who earn 75% or more from agriculture may qualify for up to $250,000.
ELRP payments are calculated as 35% of the total amount received through LFP. For example, if a producer received $1,000 in LFP support, their ELRP benefit would be $350. The amount varies depending on the number of animals, drought severity, and duration.
The USDA highlighted a case where a rancher with 250 cattle received $43,588 through LFP in 2023 and $15,256 from ELRP. In 2024, this same producer would receive $39,425 in LFP and $13,799 in ELRP aid.
“While no disaster program can fully compensate for financial losses caused by prolonged drought, ELRP helps provide producers with a timely bridge to recovery.”
Producers not enrolled in LFP will not be eligible for ELRP but may receive support under future rules addressing other disasters like flooding.
USDA expects payments to begin after LFP record verification is complete.