Federal Natural Disaster Assistance Programs for Livestock Producers, 2008-16

Natural disasters can cause income losses for livestock producers by diminishing grazing capacity of land, driving disease, or directly causing livestock losses. Under the Agricultural Act of 2014, three disaster assistance programs for livestock administered by the Farm Service Agency became permanent, and their eligibility requirements were generally relaxed. These disaster programs include the Livestock Forage Disaster Program, the Livestock Indemnity Program, and the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program. Existing legislation—the Animal Health Protection Act—also authorized indemnity payment programs during the control of infectious disease outbreaks. This report examines how these programs work and which States and counties have farms that have received program payments. The report describes regional differences in payment delivery and shows how outlays vary greatly by year and program. Regional differences in production and natural disasters has led to differences in program payments across States and counties.