Livestock producers in Anderson County are eligible for drought recovery assistance
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency in Knox/Anderson/Campbell counties, announces that the agency is now accepting applications for the Livestock Forage Disaster Program for grazing losses due to drought.
The deadline to apply for 2023 assistance is Jan. 30, 2024, according to Executive Director Stacey Simpson,.
The program provides compensation to eligible livestock producers who suffered grazing losses for covered livestock due to drought on privately owned or cash-leased land, or fire on federally managed land.
Qualifying drought intensity levels are determined using the U.S. Drought Monitor. Producers in these counties are eligible to apply for 2023 benefits for grazing losses on improved pasture mixed forage.
Visit the FSA webpage for a full list of eligible counties and pasture types.
Livestock eligible for the aid includes alpacas, beef cattle, bison, buffalo, beefalo, dairy cattle, deer, elk, emus, equine, goats, llamas, ostriches, reindeer, or sheep that have been or would have been grazing the eligible grazing land or pastureland.
Recently, FSA updated policy to expand program eligibility to include additional income-producing grazing animals, like horses and ostriches, that contribute to the commercial viability of an agricultural operation.
Livestock used for hunting and consumption by the owner, and horses and other animals that are used or intended to be used for racing and wagering remain ineligible.
This program requires a report of all pasture acres.
If a pasture crop report was not filed before the July 15 deadline, a report may still be filed, but a late filing fee of $31 per farm must be paid at time of filing.
For cattle, this program also requires a livestock total head count for each of these categories:
Adults (cows and bulls); non-adults (500 pounds or more); non-adults (less than 500 pounds, must be weaned).
Each individual county qualifies for the program based on the rating from the U.S. Drought Monitor.
Livestock owned by the producer on the dates listed below will be eligible for the program in most cases.
The dates are as follows:
Knox County: owned livestock as of Oct. 31, 2023 (must have been owned since Sept. 1, 2023).
Anderson County: owned livestock as of Oct. 31, 2023 (must have been owned since Sept. 1, 2023).
Campbell County: owned livestock as of Nov. 14, 2023 (must have been owned since Sept. 15, 2023).
This program is open for signup through Jan. 30, 2024.
As a reminder, producers who want to participate in many USDA programs, including disaster assistance, must file timely acreage reports by filling out the FSA-578 form to remain eligible for program benefits.
Livestock producers interested in applying should contact the Knox/Anderson/Campbell county FSA at 865-523-3338, Ext. 2, with any questions about the eligibility of livestock and forage crops.
More information on USDA disaster assistance is available at farmers.gov/recover.