USDA Programs Aid Weather Hit Farms

Apr 14, 2025
By Farms.com

USDA Support for Farmers Affected by Severe Weather

Farmers and livestock producers in Texas have faced severe damage due to recent storms, tornadoes, and flooding. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is offering both financial and technical support to help them recover.

Farmers facing livestock deaths beyond normal numbers can apply for the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP). They need to file a notice of loss and apply by March 2, 2026. For feed losses, the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP) offers help.

Orchardists and nursery growers can receive support through the Tree Assistance Program (TAP) to replant or restore damaged trees, bushes, or vines. They must apply within 90 days of the event.

“Impacted producers should timely report all crop, livestock and farm infrastructure damages and losses to their local FSA county office as soon as possible,” said Erasmo “Eddie” Trevino, Deputy State Executive Director for FSA in Texas. “As you evaluate your operation, take time to gather important documents you will need to get assistance, including farm records, herd inventory, receipts and pictures of damages or losses.”

USDA offers direct and guaranteed loans to those unable to get regular loans. Emergency loans help cover equipment, seed, livestock, or basic farm needs. The Farm Storage Facility Loan Program also helps producers repair or upgrade storage units.

Producers with crop insurance or the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) must report damage quickly—within 72 hours for insurance or 15 days for NAP.

The USDA also helps landowners through programs like the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) and the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) to fix damaged land and fencing.

Lastly, the Emergency Watershed Protection Program helps local communities manage storm impacts like debris and damaged streams. Cities and local groups must apply within 60 days for this aid.

Photo Credit: usda

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.